


When I Come Back To You (Currently being re-written!)

by FantasySpices



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Chara is a dude (I have to go back and fix a few times I've called him she), Depression, Determination, Drowning(kind of), Drunk Skeletons, F/F, F/M, Female Frisk, Ketchup?, Kinship, Lots of bad puns, Love, M/M, Memories, More Bullshit, Mute Frisk, Nightmares, Romance, Sensitive bones, Sexual Content, Tension, Time Travel, bullshit, did someone say plot? god knows what it is by now XD, fluff?, lot's of errors and mistakes (fite me), love triangle?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2018-05-02 12:39:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 101,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5248562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasySpices/pseuds/FantasySpices
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the young age of 9 Ryou, a half human/half monster hybrid, comes home to find that her home is ablaze with her mother dead inside, she is caught by those responsible and thrown into Mt. Ebott. After being found by two friendly skeletons she is taken care of and raised by them. The older brother Sans, after Ryou's 19th birthday, noticed her changes and fell in love with her. Chara and Flowey show up and begin killing monsters...starting with Sans's little brother Papyrus. Sans, devistated by the incident began neglecting Ryou by drinking then coming home to shut himself away. After months of despair Sans comes to her with a plan to go back in time to make sure Flowey and Chara are stopped. The night before their departure, Chara finds Sans and manages to attack him and mortally wound him. Ryou get's Sans away to the time machine, but knoing his fate he sends her back alone. She finds herself further back than planned, she meets Sans again, but he has no idea who she is. She begins her long process of making things right again...but will her feelings for Sans change her decisions and make her abandon her timeline?<br/>(all Undertale characters are owned by Toby Fox)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Start of The end

“You’re injured!”  
“I’m fine…just keep moving!”  
Ryou rushed with him through the chaos, her heart racing as she helped him into the hidden room.  
“What do we do now?”  
“I’m sending you back, I’m sending you far back. I can’t risk this again. But you have to do this…you have to leave me behind.”  
“Are you insane?! I’m not leaving you-“  
“GO!”  
Before she had time to react he thrust her inside the machine. The pod closed around her, the sound of the machine starting up ringing in her ears. She slams a hand on the glass. The faint view of him standing there, tears in his eyes…he says something but she can’t hear it. She slams a fist on the glass, begging him to let her out.  
“Please! Don’t do this!”  
His body begins to fade away, and his hand hits the button, he smiles at her as he is wisped to ash. The machine sparks and before she knew it, time ripped open and she was falling through it. Her screams mixing with the popping and sparking of the machine through time and space echoed.  
There was nothing now…just a black void all around her. She trembled, crying into his sweater. They were supposed to do this together!  
“Damn…you Chara…” Ryou hissed. “If you hadn’t ambushed us…he would be…”  
There was a light then, something so bright she couldn’t figure out what was happening until she felt herself falling. The air was hitting her and she could see something yellow coming quickly into view. Her scream was cut short by the landing.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
There was a hushed voice; she felt her head throbbing as opened her eyes. She was lying in a bed in a room she recognized. She looked around, the familiar color of the room and flower picture on the wall made her heart dance, “No way…” She breathed.  
She looked down to see a slice of… “Butterscotch pie!” Ryou cried and scurried to it. “I haven’t had this since..!”  
There was a light knock on the door and Ryou’s head whipped around to see the large goat woman walking in. She looked surprised, “Oh, goodness, so you’re awake. I’m sorry if you’re afraid or confused, I found you in the flower bed, that must’ve been quite the fall.”  
Ryou resisted the urge to hug Toriel, “I must’ve tripped and fallen down here.” The lie felt strange on her tongue.  
“You are…not human, yes?”  
Ryou bit her lip, “I’m half human.” Ryou avoided her gaze.  
Toriel’s smile was now wide with fascination, “Oh my, I’ve never met anybody who was both human and Monster! I wouldn’t have been able to tell if your eyes didn’t look so menacing.”  
Right. What should’ve been the white of a regular eye was a black void, and her love struck pink irises to contrast with their dark background. Her pale snowflake skin made them stand out more. Her white hair wavy and spiking in all directions was covered by her favorite skull and crossbones beanie.  
“Your…sweater looks awfully familiar, as well as that orange scarf around your neck.”  
Ryou touched the sleeve of the blue hoodie and smiled weakly, “Someone very dear to me gave this to me…”  
Toriel looked uncomfortable for a moment, “Honestly, it looks like a sweater I always see a friend of mine wearing.”  
Ryou wasn’t surprised, “Yeah? He must have great fashion sense.”  
She grinned, “I never said it was a He.”  
Ryou’s eyes widened, “Oh! M-My bad, sorry I must’ve misheard you.”  
Toriel laughed, “Do not worry child, an old woman like me needs to tease somebody every now and again.”  
Remembering her mission, Ryou stood, “I…I’m sorry but what’s the date today? I’m a little disoriented”  
“Uh, I believe it’s December 16th, 201X.”  
Ryou’s eyes widened, “201X?!” Her surprise intrigued Toriel. “Oh,” She calculated the numbers in her head then her eyes widened, “He sent me back this far?!”  
“My dear, what are you talking about?”  
“I’m sorry Toriel, I have to go!” Ryou said rushing from the room. “I’ll visit again sometime!” She called back as she rushed down the stairs.  
“Okay, please be safe! I’m afraid it’s very cold out tonight!” Toriel called.  
Ryou knew Toriel would let her go, she was only HALF human, what would Asgore do with half a human soul?  
She opened the door to the ruins and felt the blast of freezing cold air hit her. It was dark out there, and the forest looked terrifying, but she shook off her fear knowing as long as she got to Snowdin she wouldn’t have to worry any longer. She began to trudge through the icy cold snow, her black combat boots were helping to keep the water out but her striped black and white stockings began to get wet as well as her black plaid skirt. She kept her hands up, trying to keep the wind out of her face. Once she got into a good pace she heard the crunching of ice behind her. She turned to find nobody there; spooked, she continued on a little quicker. She stepped over a decent sized stick, wondering which tree it came from. She got a little more than ten feet when she heard the crack. She gasped and whipped her head around. The twig was broken, but there was no sign of anyone who could’ve snapped it.  
“What the hell…” She muttered to herself as she cautiously continued. She found the bridge, and she knew that silly gate that a certain skeleton had set up. She paused as she heard it again, the crunching of the snow behind her. She felt frozen as she heard them stop right behind her.”  
“HUMAN.” The voice sounded…almost like..? “Don’t you know how to-“  
She turned her head around. There he was, smiling like a goofball at her, “Sans…!” She tackled him to the ground, burying her face in his chest. “Oh god…I thought you were…” She stopped then. The Skeleton below her…She looked up to see the surprised look on his face, the blush that ran across it. She got up and took a step back, “I’m sorry…” She whispered.  
He got up and dusted the snow off himself with a chuckle, “You really know how to say hello.”  
She blushed, “Sorry…”  
He eyed her jacket, “I like your jacket.”  
She absently touched the sleeve, “I…I’m not surprised.”  
His eyes ran over the orange scarf around her neck, “Huh…my brother has a scarf just like that.”  
She touched it, tears began to form in her eyes, “I already know.”  
He raised a brow at her, “Do you?”  
This was why she was here right? To warn him? But knowing how awkward this all was, she didn’t know how to even bring it up. He looked past her, “Huh, there’s my brother now.”  
She knew this bit already; she knew how his brother worked. Papyrus was easily flustered, and loved puzzles? What easier way to distract someone from capturing her than using both his weaknesses against him? She took a deep breath, “Let’s just get this over with.” She muttered and strode away from Sans and up to Papyrus.  
Papyrus looked at her, “AH! A HUMAN APPROACHES!” He cleared his throat. “WELL THEN! HUMAN, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS! AM HERE TO CAPTURE YOU-“  
Ryou strode up to him without missing a beat and pecked him on the cheek, “Let’s make a puzzle together.” She whispered before pulling away.  
Papyrus gasped, he began to babble about something before taking his head in his hands, “N-NYOO HOO HOO!” He cried and fell to the snow. He seemed to have fainted. She knelt down and smiled, patting his head.  
“It was super effective.” She giggled to herself and sighed turning to Sans who looked absolutely confused beyond recognition. She shrugged, “What? I know how to handle your brother.”  
Sans looked more confused now than before, “What?”  
Ryou began to brush off the snow that was collecting on Papyrus, “I might as well not sugar coat anything Sans, but you’re about to be in a world of hurt sooner than you think.” She said standing up and folding her arms. “I’m from the future.”  
He scratched his head, “Alright, I’ll bite. You seem to know me well enough. To be one hundred percent sure, I want you to tell me something about myself that nobody else would know.”  
She shrugged, “Does a W.D. Gaster, ring a bell? Maybe a horrific time based accident? How about the name Flowey? Maybe Frisk? Or how about-“  
“That’s…enough.” He breathed. “I believe you.”  
She sighed, “I hate bringing up Gaster, you always shut yourself in your room and wouldn’t come out for days.”  
Sans looked you over, “So…specifically why are you wearing my brother’s scarf and my sweater? And more importantly, why are you here?”  
She absently grabbed the sleeve again, “This isn’t the place to talk about it.”  
Sans nodded, “Alright then, let’s go to my house. You will have plenty of time tibia honest.”  
Ryou laughed a little too hard, “Oh…gosh it’s been a while since I’ve heard that one.”  
He smiled, “I’m sure you’ve had a while.”  
She shrugged her shoulders then nuzzled her face in her sleeve, “It’s been a long time for me Sans…a long time since I heard you make a pun or even crack a smile.”  
“Why? I lose my funny bone?” He chuckled.  
She shook her head and snorted, “Nothing as simple as that.”  
Sans shrugged, “Well, let me get Papyrus up and get us back to my place, your guys’ puzzles will have to wait.”  
Ryou smiled devilishly, “See you there.” She said and ran full speed towards Snowdin.  
Sans lifted his brother over his shoulder, “She sounds like trouble Pap, be cautious.”  
Papyrus grumbled something about The Great Papyrus is afraid of nothing…except maybe clowns.  
Sans chuckled, “Yeah, me too buddy.”  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Ryou stood at the door to the house, her hand shaking over the knob. She couldn’t help this feeling, looking at it her heart was racing; like she would open the door and her old Sans would be there in the kitchen laughing about a pun he made. She swallowed back a wave of sadness rising in her chest. She opened the door and stepped inside. She waked in and shut the door behind herself and noticed Sans coming out of Papyrus’s room.  
She flopped down on the couch and exhaled. Sans eyed her from the top of the stairs, “So, look familiar?”  
She nodded, “Rug is missing a few stains and the walls are still fully intact. So it’s pretty much the same except without all the damage.”  
Sans walked down the steps, “So, you have my full attention.”  
She fidgeted with a loose string on the hem of the sweater, “Well you might want to sit down for this one.”  
Sans sat down with a thump of the cushion, “Alright, I’m sitting.”  
She took a shaky breath, “Whether or not you get angry, don’t.” She clarified. “Now then, in my timeline there was a…an accident. Flowey and Chara teamed up and aimed to kill everyone…starting with your brother.” There was a silent gasp, but he urged her to continue, “It was sudden too, out of nowhere Papyrus comes home crying with Flowey embedded in his eye. You tried to get Papyrus free but…Flowey cracked his soul clean in two. Papyrus’s scarf was all that survived.”  
Sans was gently gripping the couch, “Continue…”  
“You were distraught, you were angry and grieving, I did everything possible to help you, but for you it was never enough. We were…involved before the incident, but after your brother…” Her voice trailed off. “I was just a whisper in the back of your mind for months. I finally convinced you to get the…time machine working. Once it was ready, we both agreed we would go back together. Chara was killing everyone in her wake by this time, she had made her way to us… and you refused to let her get in your way, so you fought her. Unfortunately you were wounded. We rushed to get to the time machine, but…”  
“But?”  
Her eyes darkened, “You pushed me into the machine and closed it. I begged you to let me out and help you but...” She swallowed hard and brought her knees to her chest. “You pressed the button, you were turning to ash but you said something I couldn’t hear…I’ll be you? Olive juice? I couldn’t make it out honestly…”  
“I love you..?” He breathed. “Wow, sounds cheesy and pretty accurate if we were involved.”  
Ryou’s eyes watered, she swallowed the lump in her throat, “Now that you say it…it doesn’t sound as farfetched…”  
Sans saw her tears, “Hey, kid…don’t cry.” He said gently, using a boney hand to wipe her tears away.  
She sniffled a bit and hid her face, “You were the first person who called me a person,” She murmured. “The first person to tell me they loved me…but…”  
Sans shrugged, “Love is a bit cliché for me, but there must’ve been something awfully special about you for me to want to give in like that.”  
She let out a weak laugh, “Yeah…you were very confused I even returned your feelings.”  
He chuckled, “I can understand why.” He shrugged. “Come one, I’m sure you’re tired or even hungry at this point.”  
She nodded, “Yeah, actually I’m starving.” She gave him a wide smile.  
“Great, you can treat me at Grillbyz.” Sans chuckled and headed for the door.


	2. Delicious Dinner and An Old Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going to Grillbyz with a Pun wielding Skeleton doesn't sound too bad, right?

Walking into the familiar restaurant; the smell of the food, the cheery patrons, and the sight of Grillby overwhelmed Ryou a bit. It had been a long time since she had come here. Sans took her to the bar after exchanging a few hello’s to the monsters that greeted him. He raised a hand for two to Grillby who nodded and reached under the counter, pulling out two bottle of ketchup. Ryou took one with a wide smile and opened the cap to smell the tomato.  
“You look more excited for a drink than me.” Sans chuckled.  
She took a long drink, then placed the half empty bottle down, “I love this stuff.” She said giving him a shy smile.  
“So, I don’t think I caught your name.” Sans said casually as he chuckled.  
“M-My name is Ryou.” She blushed as she took a sip of the red condiment.  
Sans’s smile widened a bit, “So, what’s the future like?”  
Her smile seemed to fade, she looked down at the bottle in her hands and sighed, “Very lonely, I miss you guys.”  
Sans shrugged, “I’m a very handsome skeleton, I’m not surprised.”  
She shot him a playful glare, a smile widening across her face, “Someone sounds a little full of himself.”  
“Maybe,” He said downing the bottle. “I find it humerus you think so.”  
She bit her lip to fight off the laughter bubbling in her chest, “You’re…” She paused to compose herself. “You’re such a…” She burst into laughter; she quickly covered her face to stifle herself.  
Sans was laughing with her, “Nice to hear someone laugh at my puns for once…well except Toriel, she’s the best audience I’ve ever had.”  
Ryou finally calmed herself and wiped her eye, “I’m happy you feel that way.”  
Sans shrugged, “So…you’ve got some strange looking eyes on ya, what are those? Contacts?”  
She smiled weakly, “They’re supposedly like my dads.”  
Sans looked confused, “You’re dad?”  
“I’m half human; my mother was a beautiful human woman with big blue eyes and soft black hair. My father…well, I don’t really know what he looks like.” Sans went quiet. The bar seemed to grow a little quieter as she looked back on her memories, “My mother did her best to describe him to me but she always had trouble remembering who he was.”  
She smiled a bit, “I’m sorry, I’m not meaning to bum you out.” She looked up at his face. He looked almost upset about something. “Sans?”  
His eyes returned to the bottle of ketchup. She wrung her hands, pouring over what to say next but Sans held up a hand and then gave her a cheerful smile, “Sorry, while you were talking you got me thinking of my old man.”  
Ryou chuckled, “Yeah? I don’t think you ever mentioned him to me.”  
Sans shrugged, “Yeah…best it stays that way.” He chuckled and drank down the rest of his bottle. “You’re hungry right?”  
Right on que her stomach let out a loud growl. Her face turned red and she placed a hand on her stomach, “Hush! I’ll feed you in a minute!” She hissed then turned a cheerful eye to Sans. “Burger please.”  
“Grillby! Two orders of burg.” Sans shouted to the Fire monster.  
When the food arrived, Ryou had dug into it before Sans could pull his ketchup routine. He watched her eat for a bit until she finished and eyed his untouched burger. He chuckled and pushed it to her, “You can have it, I don’t have the stomach for it.”  
With a giggle she began to eat again, her stomach was filling up deliciously. When she was done she yawned a bit, “I forgot how good the food was here.” She gave a content sigh and rubbed her stomach.  
Sans had to admit, he was a bit impressed by her appetite, “You must’ve been starving.” Ryou took a swig of her ketchup, a bit dripping onto her chip. She placed the bottle down, Sans chuckled and turned her face to him where he took a napkin and wiped her face, “Jeez, kid you’re worse than Frisk.”  
She felt warmth seeping into her cheeks, so she avoided his gaze, “F-Frisk has always been messy.”  
Sans stretched, “You ready to head out?”  
“Yeah but what about the bill?”  
“Put it on my tab!” He called to Grillby who waved before the door closed behind them.  
Once outside, Ryou took a deep breath and sighed happily, “This air feels so nice.”  
Sans nodded, “Yeah, lucky for you Undyne doesn’t come around here often, she’s not so fond of cold things.”  
“I remember.” Ryou chuckled.  
They walked back to Sans’s house and found Papyrus looking perplexed on the couch. Sans walked in, “Hey bro, what’s up?”  
“OH SANS! THERE YOU ARE! I WAS STARTING TO BECOME A BIT…WORRIED. I FOUND A HUMAN!”  
“Oh yeah? Me too.” Sans said and let Ryou walk in.  
Ryou winked at Papyrus and the skeleton was immediately flustered, “Y-YOU FOUND THE HUMAN! I WASN’T HAVING A STRANGE DREAM AFTER ALL!” Papyrus jumped up from the couch with a happy squeal, but he stopped and then looked to Sans. “BROTHER…HOW DID I END UP IN MY BED?”  
“Oh, you fainted.” Sans yawned, walking over to the couch he flopped down and sighed with content.  
Papyrus’s eyes were wide and wild, “F-F-F-FAINTED?!” He shouted and put his hands on his head. “HOW COULD THE GREAT PAPYRUS FAIL SO MISERABLY?”  
“If it’s any consolation,” Ryou said blushing. “I’m not really human at all.”  
Papyrus froze mid stomp, “NOT HUMAN?” He inspected her for a moment then looked at her eyes. Then to her scarf, “THAT SCARF YOU ARE WEARING, IT LOOKS JUST LIKE…MINE?”  
Ryou, thinking on her feet answered, “I-I made it, I mean I needed something to always keep me strong, and what’s more strong than your hero?”  
Papyrus gasped, “M-ME? A HERO?” His eyes became far away. “I CAN SEE IT NOW, HUMA-WAIT…WHAT DO I CALL YOU?”  
“Call me Ryou.” She giggled.  
“AH! YES! I CAN SEE IT NOW RYOU, ME! THE HEAD OF THE ROYAL GUARD! A HERO IN THE EYES OF EVERY MONSTER IN THE UNDERGROUND! THE KING WOULD TRIM A HEDGE IN MY LIKENESS AND I WOULD BECOME…POPULAR!”  
“That’s the spirit Pap. Keep working hard and you won’t fail.” Sans chuckled. “Good thing you have so much thyme on your hands.”  
"Cooking jokes...really?" Ryou shook her head feigning disappointment, “Weak sauce Sans.”  
“Is there meat in that sauce?” Sans asked grinning at her.  
Ryou rolled her eyes, “I’m not gracing that question with an answer.”  
Sans shrugged, “Suit yourself, but wasn’t that banter just Sans-ational?”  
Papyrus groaned, “ONE DAY SANS…ONE DAY WITHOUT YOUR PUNS, THAT’S ALL I ASK.” Papyrus wasn’t serious; Ryou knew Papyrus secretly loved his brother’s puns.

Ryou relaxed on their couch for a while, she hadn’t had any time to relax in a long time. She yawned, pulling off her boots she curled her knees to her chest and relaxed her head. She was exhausted, but knowing the two brother’s beside her were still alive and kicking, she felt as though she could even fall asleep.  
Without warning Ryou leaned into Sans sleepily and rested her head on his shoulder. Sans looked down at her, Papyrus looked over his brother and blinked, “I DIDN’T REALIZE HOW TIRED SHE MUST BE AFTER ALL THE WALKING SHE DID.”  
Sans nodded, “Yeah, she looks pretty exhausted.”  
“WHY NOT LET HER SLEEP IN MY ROOM?”  
Sans looked up at his brother, “No, bro it’s fine. She’ll sleep in my room. I’ll just sleep in your room with you.”  
Papyrus clasped his hands together, “OH! HOW FUN, IT’LL BE LIKE WE’RE KIDS AGAIN!”  
Sans nodded, “Yeah…just like back then.” He looked down at Ryou. She looked like a child in her sleep, almost human, but those eyes. Her pink irises mixed with the black void behind them assured him of her Monster blood, but even with them she looked human. “I’ll get her up the stairs, go get ready for bed.”  
Papyrus nodded, “I’LL GET THE STORY BOOK!”  
Sans gently shook Ryou awake, “Hey kid, a soft bed is calling your name.”  
She blinked up at him, her face so close to his now he could feel her warmth, “S’kay I can sleep here…” She mumbled.  
“Come on lazy bones.” He chuckled and helped her up the stairs. Sans managed to open the door and help her to his bed. Like a flash he had the bed made and clothes lain out for her.  
“Thanks…” She murmured sleepily as she began to undress in front of him.  
“Whoa there kid, give me a moment to exit before you start taking clothing off.” He chuckled and walked to the door. “Night kid.”  
“Night Sans.” She yawned as she dressed herself. Before she realized it she was asleep, the soft blanket she was cuddled under smelled like him, and she felt like she was home again.

The next morning came to her late. She rubbed her eyes and blinked at the sunlight pouring in through the window. She groaned and turned over, feeling the warm comfort of Sans’s pillow under her head. There was a light knock on the door and without hesitation the door opened. There were light footsteps for a moment, then the feeling of someone crawling on the bed. Ryou was frozen; they were too light to be Sans.  
Ryou pulled the blanket to reveal another familiar face, “Oh! Frisk, you scared me.”  
She smiled and hugged Ryou tightly. Ryou knew the child didn’t speak, but she had spent a long time perfecting sign language over the years. Frisk signed something to her, “It’s good to see you again.”  
Ryou giggled, “You too bud.”  
“Have you figured anything out about Flowey?”  
“I have actually, but right now isn’t the time. I’m happy you at least remember who I am…that reset was a nasty one.”  
Frisk nodded and smiled, “I’m glad Sans and Papyrus are alright.”  
“Oh! I’m so sorry if Frisk woke you.” Toriel said walking into the room.  
Ryou smiled and ruffled the child’s hair, “Not a problem with this kid, we go way back.”  
Frisk giggled and hugged Ryou. When she pulled away she looked to Toriel, “You can leave now Mom, someone’s awake.” She signed.  
Toriel looked at Ryou and sighed with a gentle smile, “Alright my child, Asgore will be picking you up tomorrow, alright? Tell the boys I said hello.”  
Frisk nodded and waited for her to leave before signing Ryou, “I hope everything goes smoothly this time around, what happened to Sans? I thought he was supposed to come back with you?”  
Ryou shook her head, “He…didn’t make it.” Her voice was a little over a whisper.  
Frisk nodded, “I wish I could’ve done something sooner…”  
“Don’t worry about it; I’m here to make sure nothing like that happens again.”  
Frisk nodded, “I believe in you.”  
“Good, how’s about for now we go make breakfast?” Ryou said watching the excitement on the child’s face. “How do pancakes sound?”  
Frisk nearly jumped out of the bed, “PANCAKES!” She signed enthusiastically.  
Ryou smiled and followed the kid down the hallway, she noticed Papyrus’s door was cracked open and she peaked inside. The brothers were sprawled on the bed; both of them were snoring softly in unison and their arms were linked. She giggled a bit and closed the door, leaving them alone to make the food.  
When she entered the kitchen Frisk was already pulling out everything they needed, Pancake mix, eggs, milk, and some strawberries. Ryou smiled, “You want strawberries in yours?”  
Frisk nodded happily and bounced while Ryou carefully diced the berries, cracked the eggs into the bowl, mixing in the milk and pancake mix. Once the batter was ready she began to heat up a pan, “Why don’t you go wake your uncles?”  
With a quick nod Frisk raced up the stairs, Ryou could barely hear the loud thud as the door slammed open and the sound of a frightened Papyrus. Ryou shook her head as she flipped the pancakes, “That kid is too cute.”  
Sans was down in the kitchen a few moments later carrying a giggling frisk on his shoulders. He looked well rested for once. He yawned, “Morning Ryou.”  
She smiled, “Morning, where’s Papyrus?”  
“He’ll be down in a moment, he’s getting his uh…battle body on.”  
Ryou nodded slowly and set two plates of pancakes on the table for them, then once another three were done she set Papyrus’s plate. He came down a moment later, “GOOD MORNING RYOU!”  
Ryou smiled, “I made pancakes Pap, your plate is right there.”  
Papyrus seemed a little confused, “SANS, WHY IS SHE COOKING?”  
Sans shrugged, “Hey…you know, Ryou, you didn’t have to do this for us.”  
She turned away from them and flipped a few more pancakes, “I know, but my little buddy wanted pancakes, and pancakes she shall have!”  
Sans laughed at her enthusiasm, “Well, looks like you know your way around a stove, maybe you could give Papyrus a few pointers?”  
Ryou fixed her plate and sat with them at the table, “I would love to, I haven’t had a chance to cook a good meal in ages.” She laughed, when was the last time she cooked? She remembered stopping after the tenth time she had wasted the food when Sans came from the Lab hammered and staggering up to his room without eating. He would sneak off to Grillbyz and eat there, drink until he couldn’t anymore, then come home to pass out in his bedroom.  
Sans must’ve seen the look of sadness on her face and put a hand on her shoulder, “Hey, what’s eatin ya?”  
She looked up, her smile seemed brighter, “Nothing, sorry I must still be a little tired.”  
He smiled and found her hand under the table to give it a squeeze, “Good.”  
Ryou blushed but didn’t move her hand away. She liked this fluttery feeling, “Okay everyone, let’s dig in!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for Reading! I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did lol


	3. Distant Memory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Sans has a back story, eh? Never would've thought!  
> Hope I'm not overwhelming anybody lol

Ryou found watching Frisk wasn’t hard at all, but then again, the kid never gave her any trouble. She watched the brothers toss Frisk back and forth with their magic; she had never seen Frisk have so much fun before, “Hey guys careful! Don’t drop her!”  
“What are you talking about, of course we won’t-“  
Losing his concentration, Sans overshot Frisk and the child whizzed past Papyrus. Ryou acted out of reflex. Sans watched as Ryou’s body disappeared, only to reappear to catch Frisk yards from where she had been standing. Ryou fell back then, landing on her butt but held the child close, “Gotcha.” She breathed.  
“AGAIN! AGAIN!” The child signed excitedly.  
While Papyrus scolded Sans, Ryou set the child down. She looked down at herself then to where she had been standing, “How did I do that?”  
Before long Sans walked up to her, “You never told me you could use magic.”  
Ryou shook her head, “That’s the first time.” She murmured looking over herself once more.  
“Well you are half monster.” He chuckled.  
“I…I’ve never moved so quickly in my life.” She whispered. “Why am I suddenly able to use magic?”  
Sans put a hand on her shoulder, “Hey, don’t worry about it. You’re just a late bloomer.”  
She raised a brow, “What are you talking about?”  
Sans sighed and scratched his head, “Well, kids start showing off their powers at a young age, you’re how old?”  
“I’m Twenty one.”  
He calculated then chuckled nervously, “Well uh…you’re definitely a late bloomer.”  
She rolled her eyes, “Thanks a lot.”  
He chuckled and blushed, “Heh, there’s nothing wrong with that.”  
Ryou’s attention was taken by Frisk chasing Papyrus through the snow, she watched them with a small smile, “Funny seeing them like that.”  
Sans nodded, “Since Papyrus’s run in with Frisk, he’s been looking for another human to capture, just so his little buddy can stay with him.”  
She giggled, “But you know, he doesn’t have to capture anyone anymore…right?”  
Sans shrugged, “Asgore and Toriel have made up their minds about leaving the Underground…given the fact Toriel forgave Asgore, she was still upset at him, but they are waiting for a bad human to come to the underground to get the last Soul. I’m thinking that Asgore wants to become strong just to make sure if another war starts, we won’t be driven back down here once we get up there.”  
Ryou smiled, Frisk was giggling as Papyrus swung her around playfully, “I love that kid, it’s nice of Asgore and Toriel to adopt her. Especially since they lost…well, I’m happy for them. Frisk is a good kid, a head on their shoulders, even at such a young age.” She chuckled to herself as Frisk tackled Papyrus into the snow.  
Sans used his magic to make a really big snowball, “Heh, yeah, Frisk is pretty great.” He moved it over the wrestling kids and he chuckled. “Bombs away.” Ryou covered her mouth in shock as the snow buried the two.  
Papyrus’s head popped out of the snow, “SANS!”  
Sans shrugged, “Hey Papyrus, you look pretty chilled to the bone.”  
Ryou giggled as Frisk popped her head out of the snow, she signed, “No fair!”  
Papyrus stood up and helped Frisk up, “YOU’RE GOING TO REALLY GET IT NOW!” Papyrus struck a confident pose and pointed to Ryou and Sans. “THE GREAT PAPYRUS ACCEPTS YOUR CHALLENGE!”  
Ryou glared at Sans, “Don’t drag me into this.”  
“Oops.” He chuckled and raised a low wall of snow to hide behind as Papyrus’s team began to build their wall. Ryou knelt down and began to make a few snowballs. Sans helped her and they piled their ammunition against the wall. “That should be good.”  
She peaked over the wall to see Papyrus stand and throw a snowball to which exploded into her face. When she ducked again Sans laughter filled her ears, “Bulls eye.”  
Ryou sighed as she dusted the snow from her face and hair, “Don’t make me start throwing these at you.” The gleam in Sans’s eye made her blush.  
Sans picked up a few and began to throw them full speed, one catching Papyrus in the face, knocking him off his feet. Frisk was laughing as well as Sans, “Nice shot.” Ryou giggled peaking over the wall again.  
Sans shrugged, “I’ve been known to-“ He paused as a snowball struck him in the side of the head. He looked up to find Frisk and Papyrus laughing, Papyrus high fived the child and before long there were balls of snow being flung like bullets to either side. After a few minutes Sans looked down at her, “You going to join us?”  
“I don’t think…” Her voice trailed off. She felt her heart race as he held out a hand to her. She blushed a bit, seeing him so happy she couldn’t help but take it.  
He got her on her feet and handed her a snowball. “Let’s have some fun.” Sans grinned and began his barrage of snowballs yet again. Ryou looked at the snowball in her hands. She inhaled a bit; she tapped Sans on the shoulder. He turned to look at her and she threw the snowball at his face. He blinked at her for a moment, then he grinned, “Whose side are you on?” He asked and began to chase her from their hiding place; she laughed, running away quickly as he chased her down, throwing snowballs at her.  
Papyrus and Frisk watched the two run around the area, screaming and laughing through the snow. Frisk smiled at Papyrus and signed, “Your brother looks so happy, doesn’t he?”  
Papyrus turned back to his brother before he responded, “I’M VERY SURPRISED, HE’S NORMALLY SO LAZY.”  
Ryou was running at full speed, surprised Sans was keeping up with her. Neither of them could see the patch of ice coming, Sans reached out to grab her sleeve when she slipped on it. Twisting awkwardly Sans landed on top of her and she groaned, “Okay…you got me…” She muttered panting in exhaustion.  
He pushed himself up to look down at her, “Are you alright?” Seeing the red rushing into her cheeks he rolled off her, “S-Sorry ‘bout that.” He mumbled standing, he extended a hand to her with a gentle smile.  
She took his hand and sat up giggling breathlessly, “That was so much fun.”  
He nodded, “It’s been a while since I’ve had a good snowball fight with my brother.” Sans laughed.  
There was something in this moment that made her feel uneasy, something twitching painfully in the pit of her stomach. Papyrus was a good guy, he was a kind person with big dreams, how could Flowey hurt him? How could anyone want to hurt him? How could Flowey take that happiness from Sans and leave her to work through the aftermath?  
“Whoa, kid,” Sans said taking her arm. Ryou looked down to see the now bleeding nail marks in the meat of her hand. She cursed under her breath; she hadn’t even realized her fists had been clenched. “Easy there, everything okay?”  
She nodded, “I was lost in thought for a moment.”  
Sans took some snow and passed it over her wounded hand, the cool snow numbed the pain. Sans helped her up, “Let’s get you patched up.” He turned and waved to his brother who waved back. “I’m taking her inside, she cut her hand when she fell!” Sans yelled.  
“ALRIGHT! WE WILL BE IN SHORTLY!” Papyrus yelled back.  
Sans helped Ryou into the house and sat her onto the couch while he shuffled to the bathroom. When he came back he had a few bandages with gauze, napkins, and some disinfectant. He gingerly took her hand in his and began to dab the cuts with the disinfectant before placing the bandages on and wrapping her hand with the gauze. Ryou was blushing, never before had Sans done something like this, it made her heart race. He had never been the gentle or caring…  
“All better.” He chuckled softly, he hesitated before letting her hand go. Ryou could see a blue tint on his face, was he blushing?  
“T-Thanks.” She mumbled as she looked over her bandaged hand. Sans knelt there for a few moments, his eyes on Ryou. He seemed to be struggling with something internally.  
“So what’s been on your mind?” He suddenly asked.  
Ryou’s eyes closed but when she opened them they were distant, “Your brother is a good person. I can’t let it happen, seeing you happy again reminded me of that. Whether it costs me my life Sans, I have to protect you guys. I won’t stop until Flowey and Chara are dead for what they did to us.”  
Sans seemed to process this, “Then I guess I will have to help you, won’t I?”  
Her eyes seemed to glow for a moment, “Sans-“  
He held up a hand, “That’s my brother out there, the guy I’ve been taking care of since our old man kicked the bucket.” Sans said flopping down beside her. “I’m going to tell you a story, so get comfortable.” He cleared his throat. “One day he’s here, the next some human comes through and poof, I’m left to take care of Pap, who was still an infant at that time. I honestly don’t like humans, but when I met Frisk…” His voice seemed to trail off before he shook his head and continued,“Growing up, being a child and caring for your little brother isn’t easy. I began working, I did every odd job in town, getting up and taking Papyrus with me. We struggled until he was old enough to understand. While Papyrus was in school I studied Quantum physics, learned all I could about it. One day I meet this guy, he seems flustered about something and I happen to ask if he’s alright.” Sans chuckled a bit  
Ryou nodded, “Funny, I don’t recall you ever telling me this story…honestly you never talked about your past much.”  
Sans nodded, “I’ll tell you why, if you promise me you will never tell Papyrus anything. It’s…better he doesn’t know.”  
Ryou nodded, “My lips are sealed.”  
Sans’s eyes drifted to her lips for a moment before he spoke, “So, this guy tells me he’s been working on some project and the answer is just on the tip of his tongue. I ask what he’s trying to figure out, turns out he’s the Royal Scientist and he’s trying to figure out a complicated formula. Without hesitation I answered him. The look he gave me was pure fascination, like I was the most incredible thing he had ever seen. He introduced himself as W.D. Gaster and asked me where I learned the answer to the formula. I told him I was studying quantum physics and that I wanted to work in that kind of field. He hired me on the spot.” Sans chuckled to himself. “That guy was a real jokester; honestly my puns weren’t very good before he appeared. He and I began to work on a project together, it was a time machine. Gaster warned me of all the risks of using one, but I was so determined to get it going that he couldn’t help following my lead. I was coming home with enough money to buy the house you see around you.”  
Ryou smiled, “Wow, that’s incredible.”  
He nodded, but his smile faded, “Once the machine was finished I begged him to let me test it, but he told me he would instead, and once he came back he would let me. I didn’t know what would happen to him…I didn’t know what was coming. Once he stepped inside he asked me to be happy and then to flip the switch. When I did…the machine made such an awful sound and…I never saw him again.”  
Ryou was quiet, but she managed to find her words, “Sans…”  
He let out a deep sigh, “After the accident…I started drinking. I quit my job and left. The strange part was when I told Papyrus about the accident, he had no idea who Gaster was. We had invited him over a few times for dinner, Papyrus met him more than once…but had no idea who he was. It frustrated me so I asked Asgore what he thought…and…just like that Gaster was nothing but a memory. Nobody in the Underground even knew such a person existed. I thought I had been going crazy, but I knew deep down that something horrible happened to him. Without warning, Gaster had erased himself from existence.” He took a shaky breath. “After a few years I sobered and took a job selling hot dogs and making a quick buck whenever I could.” He shrugged. “I know my brother wants to be a hero, but sometimes you can’t save everyone.”  
Ryou took in his words, her chest felt tight. There was a lot she didn’t know about Sans, and that bothered her a bit. He had been harboring the pain of loss for a very long time. She wondered how long he was suffering in silence next to her for the years they spent together. She found tears flooding her vision and she wiped them away. She felt determination filling her, “Maybe not…but I can.”


	4. Undyne's house

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I've been on a writing binge so I will be posting 1-2 chapters a day if possible XD I hope you guys enjoy it!

When Sans woke up the next morning, he was surprised to find Ryou wasn’t there. He knocked on Papyrus’s door, “Hey Papyrus is Ryou in there with you?”  
The door opened and his brother looked down at him, “NO, SHE LEFT EARLIER SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT FINDING UNDYNE.”  
Sans felt the breath leave him, a shudder ran down his spine. Ryou just learned magic, there was no way she could handle Undyne, “D-Did she say anything else?”  
Papyrus looked up thoughtfully, “INDEED, SHE MENTIONED NEEDING UNDYNE’S HELP.”  
Sans felt his hands clenching and unclenching, “Thanks Pap, Frisk is with you at least?”  
Papyrus shook his head, “ASGORE PICKED HER UP RATHER EARLY THIS MORNING.”  
Sans nodded to himself, “Sorry bro…I need to head out for a little while.”  
Papyrus smiled to his brother, “I WILL BE OUT PATROLLING AT THE SENTRY STATION NEAR THE RUINS IF YOU NEED ME.”  
“Great, see you soon.” Sans rushed and ran out the front door without a second glance. He needed to get to Ryou before Undyne got to her.

Ryou waited outside Undyne’s house until the fish woman returned. She loved Waterfall, this place held many fond memories. She loved the way the crystals twinkled on the dark ceiling like little stars in the night sky. She loved the glow of the water against the bluish stone floor, a truly questionably phenomena it was. There were so many things about the underground she didn’t seem to mind.  
She heard it then, the sound of familiar voices approaching the house. She took a deep breath as she could see Undyne and whom Ryou could assume was Alphys. When they got close enough, Undyne noticed Ryou standing by her front door. Mistaking Ryou for a human she put an arm in front of Alphys, “A human…” She muttered to herself. “Alphys, you need to stand back and let me handle this.”  
“B-But U-Undyne, that’s not a-“  
“Hurry!”  
Alphys scurried behind Undyne’s practice dummy; she was peeking out from behind it and biting her finger. Undyne turned her attention to Ryou, “You know what happens now, don’t you?”  
Ryou nodded, “But I’m not here to fight.”  
“Good! That will make me taking your soul much easier!” Undyne laughed.  
“U-Undyne…she’s n-not human, at least not all human.” Alphys said nervously.  
Undyne took a closer look at her, “Oh yeah…now that you mention it, her eyes are really…kinda like Sans and Papyrus, huh?”  
Ryou blushed a bit with a smile, “Undyne, I didn’t come here to fight; I came here to ask for your help.”  
Undyne folded her arms, “Well seeing as you’re a monster, and I as the Captain of the Royal guard, I’ll hear this out.”  
Ryou let out a sigh of relief, “Oh thank goodness.” She took a deep breath. “I’m Ryou, and I am…from the future…”  
Alphys immediately ran over, “Y-You are? That’s…kinda cool actually.” She giggled a bit.  
Undyne raised a brow, “From the future? Like I would believe-“  
“Hear me out!” Ryou cried, startling the two. She clenched her fists. “Something awful is coming, Alphys…you know what I’m talking about.”  
“I…don’t know what you’re talking about honestly. N-Not that I don’t want to say it! I’m just…confused.” Alphys admitted.  
“What’s coming?” Undyne asked.  
Ryou felt like her chest was about to explode, “Flowey…and Chara are coming.”  
Alphys’s eyes were wide and she seemed to pale, “N-N-No…that’s not…”  
“In my timeline, Flowey got inside of Papyrus and killed him. Sans helped me fix his time machine but Chara killed him too…I came back here alone. If I can stop the events of Flowey, it might alter the timeline and we might be able to stop them.”  
Undyne looked furious, “Some punk killed my best friend?!”  
“So, why are you telling us all of this?” Alphys muttered. “I’m sure you have a reason behind it.”  
Ryou nodded, “I need to ask you guys for help. Help to destroy Flowey and Chara.”  
Undyne nodded, “I’m in, that prick won’t know what hit ‘em.”  
Alphys nodded, “I-I can keep a look out with my cameras.”  
Ryou nodded, “I would appreciate that…I can’t let that nightmare happen again.”  
“STOP!” Everyone turned around to find Sans panting heavily behind them, his right eye was glowing and fear seemed to be plastered to his face. “She’s not a human!”  
Ryou felt her cheeks burning, “Um…Sans…we uh…”  
“We already know that, bone head.” Undyne said rolling her eyes.  
Alphys nodded, “We agreed to help her.”  
Sans slowed his breathing and wiped the sweat off his skull, “Oh…” His cheek bones turned blue and he suddenly laughed. “Well that’s embarrassing.”  
Undyne smiled, “Nice to see you’re at least worried about someone other than yourself.”  
Sans shrugged, “I had to make sure the kid got here okay.”  
“Sans, why do you keep calling me a kid?”  
He paused, “I can’t remember honestly, but that might have something to do with my lack of a brain.”  
They all shared a laugh, Sans recovered and smiled to Ryou, “I got worried when I got up and you were gone.”  
Ryou blushed deeply, “I t-told Papyrus to let you know where I was…”  
Undyne suddenly shifted her eyes between the two of them, “Wait, are you guys sleeping together or something?” Undyne looked more than amused.  
Alphys gasped and her cheeks turned pink, “How adorable, Sans finally found a-“  
“I’m not his girlfriend!”  
“I’m not her boyfriend!”  
The cave almost went dead silent. Ryou stared at Sans, he stared back at her with a look of awe, Ryou then burst into laughter due to embarrassment. She held her stomach and used Undyne’s house to keep her steady.  
“That was perfect.” Undyne snorted.  
Alphys blinked as she saw that through Ryou’s laughter, there were tears running down her face, “Uh…Sans?”  
His eyes locked on Ryou as she fell onto her hands and knees, her laughter now loud sobs that echoed off the walls. Undyne looked horrified, “Oh my god, did we break her?”  
Sans rushed over, “Hey, Ryou it’s alright, what are you crying for?” He rubbed her back gently, he could feel her shaking.  
She hiccupped a bit before she answered, “I’m sorry…it was just overwhelming.”  
“What was?” Sans voice was calming.  
She managed to lean back onto her butt and wipe her eyes, “It was weird…hearing you say that.”  
He understood immediately, she was upset about future him. He took a deep breath, “Would you rather be?”  
Her head shot up, her eyes were full of an emotion he couldn’t describe, “What?”  
“Would you rather be my girlfriend?” He repeated with more description.  
Undyne snorted, “Oh my gosh, come on guys no gushing in front of my house.”  
Alphys giggled, “It’s so cute.”  
Ryou stared at him, her mouth was open but nothing could escape. He chuckled, “It’s alright, you don’t have to answer.”  
She looked worried about him for a moment, “It’s a little funny…seeing as I know you but you really don’t know a thing about me.”  
“Okay! Let’s all go INSIDE and you can tell us all about yourself.” Undyne shouted ushering everyone into her home.  
Once inside everyone took a seat as Undyne poured a glass of soda for Alphys and got tea ready for everyone else. Sans cheekbones seemed a lot more blue than before, he was shifting a bit uncomfortably in his seat as Undyne watched everyone.  
“So, tell us about yourself.” Alphys said smiling.  
Ryou nodded, “I uh…well, I was born and raised on the surface-“  
Everyone seemed confused except Sans, “The surface?”  
Ryou nodded, “Mhm, my mother was human, my father, uh…” She stared into her hands for a moment. “I don’t know who he is, what he looks like, or anything about him. My mother always told me she could never remember.”  
Undyne exhaled, “Dang, that’s rough.”  
“My mother is a human, but my father was a monster. She told me that raising me wasn’t very hard, I was well behaved and cheerful…but I used to get picked on a lot. When people found out what I was, nobody took it well. I came home to an ambush of villagers.”  
There was a silent gasp around the room, “What happened then?”  
“My house was on fire with my mother screaming inside. They had thought she was a demon or something horrible. When they grabbed me…” She took a shaky breath. “They beat me pretty badly.” She stood and pulled Sans’s jacket back then lifted her shirt. There across her ribs were three long jagged scars. She lifted the hem of her skirt to reveal another on her upper thigh. She sat back down, noticing the look of horror on everyone’s face.  
“Humans can be awful, but not all of them are bad.” She clarified. “Thinking I was dead they took me to Mount Ebott and tossed me down here.” She took a deep breath and smiled. “But some skeleton brothers found me, as well as a wonderful goat woman. Nursing me back to health, I became family. I spent many years having fun and enjoying their company. One day though, a certain human came down here. I protected her like she was my own child, even if I couldn’t use magic I taught her that all things deserve a second chance, all things deserve forgiveness.” She stood up and slammed her hands on the table. “I’ve never been so wrong in my life.” She hissed. “If I had changed her mind about Flowey, Papyrus would’ve survived and none of this bullshit would’ve happened!”  
“Easy, love.” Sans said gently.  
She took a deep breath, “Flowey killed Papyrus in an attempt to piss us off, or get under our skin…so to speak. I stayed strong for Sans but…” Her voice trailed off a moment, then she spoke. “He cried every night, nightmares kept him awake and he would cry when he thought I couldn’t hear him. He spent all of his time in the shed behind the house. Everything became dark and lonely. He turned to drinking; I had to take him home almost every night as he would drink until he passed out. I rarely ever saw him, when he was sober enough he would lock himself in his room. I became depressed, I couldn’t console the one person that mattered to me, I struggled with this for months until one day he burst through the door with the happiest look on his face. He told me he made it work…and I found out about what he had been working on, he was working on the time machine.”  
Sans looked ashamed of himself and Undyne kept glaring at him, “What? It’s not ME me she’s referring to.” He said glaring back at her.  
“Anyway,” She continued. “He slept soundly that night, and was sober the next day. He explained to me about going back together. He was just like his old self again, but then Chara came. He decided to fight her, unfortunately that…that thing,” She spat the words. “Cut Sans pretty deep, knowing of his impending demise he threw me into the machine and sent me here.”  
Alphys was dabbing her eyes with a napkin before settling her glasses back into place, “Oh gosh…how sad.” She sniffled.  
“Pathetic…” Sans mumbled glaring at the table.  
“What?” Undyne asked looking at the shaking Skeleton.  
“It’s pathetic!” He shouted as he stood. “I would never do something so awful! I love my brother but if I loved you why didn’t I have the god damn decency to make sure you were okay?!”  
Ryou flinched, hearing his voice raised like that, “Because you didn’t care about me anymore!” She shouted back. Her face fell into her hand, “You gave up Sans. You gave up on me the moment Papyrus died. You loathed my very presence because I was the one thing holding you to reality.”  
He slumped in his chair, “I just…can’t understand why…”  
Undyne sighed, “Well bonehead, now that you know you can help her prevent history from repeating itself.”  
A serious look was etched on Sans’s face, he stood suddenly. Ryou watched as he strode over to her, and gathered her in his arms. Ryou’s eyes went wide and her breath hitched. He shook his head, “You went through hell because of me, so I’m going to make damn sure it NEVER happens again." His voice was a harsh murmur against her ear.  
Undyne was blushing against the counter; the water for the tea was boiling over onto the burner. She had never seen Sans so serious about anything, his natural goofiness seemed miles away in that moment. Even Alphys was blushing heavily, her eyes were sparkling. “Wow, for once Sans, I’m actually impressed with you.” Undyne said giving him a smile. “I’ve never seen you so passionate.”  
Alphys looked to Undyne, “It’s almost like an anime.” She gushed.  
Ryou buried her face in his shoulder, “You’ve got a lot of making up to do then.” She whispered.  
“Nothing like the present, eh?” He chuckled and gave her a squeeze before letting her go. They were both blushing and smiling at one another. Sans then took in a deep breath, his goofy smile returning. “Well, jeez Undyne, way to make me sound a little shellfish.” He chuckled and Undyne’s smile turned into a scowl. “I’m not that con-sea-ded.”  
“Get out of my house.” She said flatly.  
Sans shrugged, “Something is FISHY about that.”  
“GET OUT!” Undyne shouted and picked both Ryou and Sans up. She tossed him outside, then set Ryou down to shake her hand. “I hope things get better from here. I’ll have my guards keep an eye out for…Flowey?”  
“Just have them look out for a little yellow flower…with the changing face of a demon.” She said with a small smile. “Alphys will tell you.”  
Undyne nodded, “Thanks for…well, I’ve never seen Sans so passionate about something. You must have a gift for bringing out people’s true feelings.”  
Ryou blushed, “Yeah…about that. Please tell Alphys how you feel about her.”  
Undyne blushed, “Oh…was it that obvious?”  
Ryou smiled, “In my timeline you both were married.”  
Undyne’s face was beet red, “O-OH..!” She smiled wide. “Thanks, and take care of that guy, he’s a reckless spirit.”  
Ryou nodded, “I will, see you soon.” With that she turned and walked to Sans’s side, he smiled shyly at her as they walked back through Waterfall together. Without warning Sand took her hand in his, “I hope you don’t mind if I uh, hold your hand?”  
She blushed and shook her head, “I don’t mind.”  
With a big smile he gave her hand a squeeze as the entrance back to Snowdin came closer and closer. Once they returned to town they found Papyrus building something in the snow. Sans chuckled, “Hey Pap, whatcha building?”  
The taller skeleton turned, “IF YOU MUST KNOW, I AM BUILDING A-“ He paused to look at their joined hands. “YOU’RE HOLDING HER HAND!”  
“Yeah,” Sans said, then winked at Ryou blushed, so much so she thought the snow around her might melt. “So, again, what are you up to?” He said turning his attention back to a dumbfounded Papyrus.  
He cleared his throat, “AH! I CAN TELL YOU ARE CURIOUS, SO I WILL SHARE WITH YOU MY LATEST CREATION!” He moved and Sans stifled his laughter of the ice sculpture of what looked like Papyrus but with muscles. “I CALL IT, ‘THE GREAT ROYAL GUARD PAPYRUS’!”  
“Very nice bro.” Sans said as he calmed himself.  
Ryou nodded, “I think it captures your looks pretty well.”  
With that Sans lost it, he had to pull away from her for a moment to control himself. Once he finally calmed down he took a deep breath, “Sorry, Ryou had told me a good pun earlier.”  
“IF IT IS A PUN I DO NOT WISH TO HEAR IT.” Papyrus grumbled and returned to his sculpture.  
“Suit yourself.” Sans said and took Ryou’s hand. “We’re heading inside for some lunch, you want to join us?”  
Papyrus shook his head, “I HAVE TRAINING WITH UNDYNE SOON. I’LL BE BACK LATE SO DREAM UP SOMETHING FOR DINNER TOO.”  
Sans nodded, “Sure thing Pap.” He said then took Ryou inside. Once inside he sat her on the couch and turned the television on, “Here, watch something while I go make something to eat.”  
Ryou liked this, she had never had him be like this, she just hoped she hadn’t pressured him into being so nice to her. She shook off the thought and smiled to herself, she would do him a kindness and clean his room when he wasn’t looking, that should do it for him. “So sweet.” She murmured to herself and took the remote to change the channel. Nothing but Mettaton re-runs…GREAT.


	5. Alone with Sans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little something to poke your funnybone with (HA!) so I hope you enjoy XD

Later that evening Ryou was cooking in the kitchen. She figured since Papyrus didn’t know how to cook very well, she would show off her skills for Sans. She felt a flutter in her chest, she had been given a second chance to do all of this again. As she stirred the sauce she smiled to herself, coming back in time was the best thing she ever did. She missed the Sans from her timeline, no matter what happened between them…but this version of him was so different. He was much kinder, much happier. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind, he was stronger this time around.   
“Something smells amazing in here.” Sans said peeking into the kitchen.  
She turned to him with a smile, “I’m glad, it’ll be done in a few.”  
“Sounds good.” His voice sounded nervous.  
She turned to see him walk into the room, he couldn’t seem to be able to look at her, “Papyrus called, he’s not coming home tonight.”  
Ryou felt her body freeze over. This…was new. “O-Oh…” Was all she could manage as she turned to the sauce to continue stirring.  
“I was wondering if…I don’t know, maybe you might want to play some games or…”  
She took a deep breath, when she turned back to him he was smiling at her hopefully, but the nervous flush on his face gave him away, “Sounds like fun, I’d love to see what kind of games you can dish out.”  
His eyes seemed to brighten, “Great, I’ll see what kind of games Pap keeps hidden away.”  
Ryou chuckled and watched him shuffle back into the living room with a smile so wide she thought it would stick there permanently. She drained the noodles and poured the sauce into the pot. She stirred the noodles in until the sauce covered them. She grinned at the pot of Spaghetti in front of her, “Perfecto!” She said cheerfully.  
She served the plates and placed them on the table. When Sans came back down he had a few games tucked under his arm. Setting them on the couch he walked into the kitchen and sat down. He looked impressed, “Papyrus’s spaghetti never smelled this good before.”  
She sat down and smiled, “This ain’t any ol’ pasta.” She snickered.  
He rolled his eyes, “You’re starting to sound like my brother.”   
She laughed, “Thanks.”  
He shrugged and took a bite. She couldn’t describe the look that passed over his face in that moment, he stared down at his plate for a few moments with wide eyes. He chewed slowly and swallowed, “This is…delicious.” He murmured before shoveling another large bite into his mouth. He closed his eyes and let a hum of satisfaction rumble in his chest as he savored it.  
“In all the time I ever spent with you, you have never once made that face.” She giggled.   
“I want to know what godly figure you learned from.” He said as he continued devouring his food.  
She smiled, “I learned from you.”  
His froze a moment, then swallowed, “Parden?”  
“You taught me how to cook.” She laughed. “You worked hard to perfect it, then when I was old enough you taught me.”  
He looked down at his food, “If I could say, this is the best thing I’ve ever had the pleasure of putting in my mouth.”  
She began to eat, “I’m happy you like it.”  
Once they finished eating they relaxed for a few moments and chatted, “So, our little human is officially a Frisk out of water.” He chuckled at his joke. “She learned to swim with me and Papyrus one summer.”  
Ryou nodded, “I’m sure that was fun.”  
He nodded, “We know this spot that’s great for swimming, we should all go sometime.”  
She nervously nodded, “Sounds great…but…”  
He raised a brow, “What’s wrong?”  
“I…I can’t swim.”  
“You lived with us…and you never learned?” He seemed frustrated with that thought.  
“No! It’s not that you guys didn’t try…but…” She rubbed the back of her head. “I got really upset because you guys were so good at it, I tried swimming out until my feet couldn’t touch the ground. I uh…flailed a bit until I went under.” She chuckled. “Well, waking up and coughing water out of your lungs wasn’t the best thing. You and Papyrus were so worried about me trying it again you both didn’t bother taking me back.”  
Sans nodded, “That makes sense.”  
She stretched, “I’ll go, but I can’t get in.”  
He shrugged, “You can, but I’ll be with you to hold you up.”  
She blushed, her hands resting at her sides, “O-Okay.” She said and smiled.  
Sans yawned and stood up from his chair, “Alright, you want to get to some of these games?”  
Ryou nodded and stood up with a smile, “Let’s have some fun.”  
Sans took a moment to lay all of the games out for her to see, “Okay we have a few here I don’t recognize.”  
“Oh! Truth or dare, Twister, Apples to Apples…there are a lot of human games here.” She mumbled. “Puzzles, crossword? Uh…I can’t decide.”  
Sans chuckled, “I guess just grab that one.” He pointed to Twister. “I remember that one being really fun.”  
Once they had the mat lain out on the floor, Sans and Ryou flipped a gold piece to determine who would go first. Of course Ryou lost and stepped onto the mat, “Alright let’s do this.”  
He spun the dial, “Right foot blue.”  
She stepped on a blue circle, “This is going to get complicated, isn’t it.”  
He shrugged, “Possibly.”  
Before long her and Sans were twisted and bent over one another, Sans reached for the dial, “I…can’t reach…” He panted, Ryou could feel him shaking to keep his balance.  
“Well hurry! I don’t think I can hold this position for much longer!” She whined.  
He managed to tap the dial, “Left hand…yellow…” He managed. She groaned, the yellow dot was so far! She reached as far as she could; her hand bumped against his hip, she heard him gasp in surprise. His legs gave out and they both hit the ground with a thud. Ryou started laughing, “I almost had it, dang it Sans!”   
He glared back at her with a grin, “Sorry, you just happened to surprise me.”  
When they sat up Ryou looked around, “I don’t think I could physically do that again.”  
“Oh thank god.” Sans laughed.   
The rest of the night consisted of puzzling games and laughter. They played the variety of games Sans had found, they had trouble understanding some of them but managed their best. When they were finished with all of them, they were exhausted. Sans was flopped upside down on the couch, his head lolling lazily over the edge. Ryou was sprawled on the flood beside him, “That was fun while it lasted.” She mumbled into the carpet.  
Sans let out what sounded like a groan, “Mhm…”  
She yawned and stretched, “So what do you want to do now?”  
He shrugged, “Dunno, why don’t you think something up?”  
Ryou stretched and rolled onto her back, “Hmm…we could watch a movie?”  
“Sounds great, I don’t have to do anything either.” He chuckled.  
She searched through the movies and happened to find one that was unmarked. She looked it over for a moment then popped it in. The screen was dark, but then it opened to Sans and Papyrus…they were so…little!  
“Happy birthday!” The person behind the camera said. Ryou clasped her hand over her mouth. She watched as a little Sans ran up to his baby brother and gave him a big hug. “Happy birthday little bro.” Papyrus whimpered a moment before letting out a cry. Sans looked to the person holding the camera who gradually set it down to console the whaling child, though the position of the camera was angled so she couldn’t see the other skeletons face. Sans smiled to Papyrus. “Hey, don’t cry! Here, I’ll tell you a joke!” Sans cleared his throat. “Why didn’t the skeleton cross the road?” The child seemed to calm for a moment, as if waiting to hear the punchline. “Because he didn’t have the guts!”  
Papyrus’s face lit up and he was giggling in the older skeleton’s arms, “You sound just like your mother.” He said and pat Sans on the head.  
Sans pushed past Ryou and turned off the television, he was breathing heavily, he had tears in his wide eyes. There was an awkward silence for a few minutes before Sans looked to her, “Why…don’t I pick the movie.”  
Ryou watched him for a moment before nodding, “Yeah, sure.”  
Sans pulled the tape out, he stared at it for a while before putting it back on its shelf. He pulled out a Mettaton movie and popped it in. When he sat beside her, his eyes seemed a million miles away. She worried about him but focused on the movie. She could almost feel the tension beside her.  
“I’m sorry if I scared you.” He mumbled.  
Ryou turned to look at Sans, his eyes were dark but he held a smile, “I should be the one apologizing to you Sans.” She said placing her hand over his.  
The lights in his eyes returned, he let out a huff and smiled at her, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that tape, honestly I thought Papyrus had it hidden away.”  
She blushed and smiled, “I think you looked adorable as a child, Papyrus was just a little tiny thing…and I’m assuming that other person was your dad?”  
“Our mother was a really fragile monster; she died shortly after Papyrus was born. Our dad took care of us alone until Papyrus was two years old, that’s when that human came. They were just killing to kill, no remorse or mercy…My dad was just in the wrong place at the wrong time…” He said with a shrug.  
“I wish I could’ve gone back to do something for you guys…” She said looking down at the knee of her stockings.  
Sans shook his head, “Not a chance. Just in case…I don’t want to alter the timeline too much, especially going that far back, it can have huge consequences.”  
Ryou knew what that meant, instead of continuing she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in the fluff of his jacket. She felt bad for talking about something so personal, but her curiosity and need to comfort was overwhelming.   
“Ryou?” She flinched at the tone of his voice.  
She looked up slowly, worrying of what she might see. When she did she was stunned, Sans was smiling goofily at her, “W-What?”  
He took her face in his hands, “Thanks.” He said with a low chuckle. He twisted himself, pulling her on top of him, resting her head against his collar bone. He held her like that for a few minutes. “I can’t tell you how long I waited to get all of my burdens off my chest…keeping all of that from Papyrus hasn’t been easy, I didn’t want to hurt him.” He murmured against her hair.   
Ryou blushed, “I’m sure you feel a lot better.”  
“Thanks for cheering me up, I thought I lost my funny bone.”   
Ryou giggled softly against his shirt, “You’ve been so serious lately, I was afraid you had lost your charm.”  
At that Sans laughed, “Not a chance you would miss it too much.” He sighed, his breath sent a chill down her spine, she felt her cheeks flushing at the steady pace of his breathing and the heat he seemed to be creating. She was more than curious how he breathed at all without lungs.  
“I would miss it.”   
“Oh really?” His voice did nothing to hide the impending joke that was about to invade her ears.  
“Oh jeez.”  
“I’m glad you would, we would have to Ketchup on all the good ones.” He chuckled.  
“I get it.” She giggled softly.  
He nodded, “Good.” There was a long silence, “I think I could get used to this…” He murmured placing his hands behind his head.  
“The silence?” She giggled.  
“You lying with me.”  
She choked on her giggles and struggled not to cough, “Am I that comfortable?”   
He chuckled and closed his eyes, “Almost like a pillow.”  
She felt warm, too warm, this situation was making her temperature rise, “Ah…hold on, I’m feeling a little too warm.” She said getting up. She unwrapped the scarf and unzipped her hoodie, folded them then left them neatly on the back of the couch. Sans had his eyes open now, she was wearing a white T-shirt that was cut off above her navel and her black skirt. She pulled off her boots and then gently crawled back to her original spot.   
Sans watched her, he was blushing as he looked down at her, “B-Better?”  
She nodded, “Much better actually.”  
There was a silence that passed over them, the movie had begun to conclude itself and Ryou was feeling sleepy. Sans was petting her hair slowly which was lulling her to sleep. She purred a bit as he brushed against her ear; the gentle passing gave her goose bumps. He chuckled as she shivered, “You like that, huh?” He asked her in a low voice.  
“Feels nice.” She mumbled cuddling her face into the fluffiness of his jacket; before long she found herself asleep against him, curled up and comfortable.  
Sans followed her soon after, but his wasn’t the same pleasant sleep he hoped he would get.


	6. Cleaning up the house!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a short friggen chapter but I was REALLY scarce with time today so...here you go! Next chapter will be longer and full of drama!

“BROTHER?”   
Sans heard Papyrus calling out to him. He forced his eyes open to find Papyrus standing over him. In his haze he went to sit up only to be restrained by the white haired beauty sleeping against him. He processed the situation, “Well, this is awkward.”  
“I WOULD HAVE TO AGREE.”  
“How was it at Undyne’s?” Sans asked yawning.  
Papyrus shrugged, “AS ALWAYS I IMPRESSED HER! BUT, STILL NO WORD ON BEING ABLE TO JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD…” Papyrus looked sad for a second before he glared at his brother. “YOU AND OUR GUEST SEEM TO BE BETTER FRIENDS THAN I FIRST THOUGHT.”  
Ryou heard the last bit of what Papyrus said as she stirred, “Welcome home Papy…” She murmured snuggling her face back into Sans’s hood. “Thanks Sans for letting me use you as a pillow…”   
Papyrus seemed intrigued, “DID SHE NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY BEDTIME EQUIPMENT? HOW NOBLE OF YOU TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR HER.” Papyrus’s face was happy and proud.  
Sans looked up at his brother, “I guess you’re a better influence than I thought.”  
Papyrus took a deep breath, “WELL, WE HAVE A JOB TO DO TODAY SANS.”  
Sans nodded, “Right, let me unhook the beast from my bones and I’ll join you.” He chuckled then turned his attention to Ryou. He pet her hair a moment, “Hey, I gatta get up.”  
She shook her head, “No…don’t take my pillow…” She grumbled as her fingers vice gripped his jacket.   
Sans looked to his brother and shrugged, “Guess I’m stuck here forever.”  
“SANS,” Papyrus warned.  
Sans laughed and shimmied his way out of his jacket, “Fine, I’ll take yours.” He laughed and grabbed her sweater from the couch. He zipped it up, he could smell the strawberry-like perfume of Ryou on it, he looked at her and his cheeks flushed. He could feel the wear and tear of the fabric, “How weird.”  
Papyrus shrugged, “LET’S HEAD OUT, I’M SURE SHE WILL ENJOY A FEW HOURS FROM YOUR INSUFFERABLE PUNS.”  
Sans smiled, “Aw, you used to really like those jokes.”  
Papyrus folded his arms, “CAN WE GO NOW?”  
Sans nodded, “Alright, let’s go.”

Ryou was more comfortable than she had ever been, the feeling of Sans’s jacket against her cheek was like sleeping on a cloud. The plush fabric was unreal. She yawned and sat up, her back popping as she moved. She looked around, “Guess they left already.”  
She yawned. Standing she walked to the kitchen and sighed, “Okay, time to start!”  
Ryou scrubbed the kitchen, she adjusted the sink so she could reach it and filled a bucket with water. She washed the countertops, stove, oven, then moved on to the fridge where she cleaned out anything that was unnecessary. When she was done with that she vacuumed the living room, fixed the couch, organized all of the DVD’s, and moved onto the bathroom. Once she was finished there she moved onto the bedrooms. Papyrus’s room was mostly clean as it was, but she vacuumed and made his bed. She then moved to Sans’s room. She washed his sheets, made his bed, destroyed the self-sustaining garbage tornado, then picked up his socks. She vacuumed, cleaned the windows, and washed the walls. When she was done the room practically sparkled.   
“Much better.” She breathed. She had taken it upon herself to replace the lightbulb on his lamp and add batteries to the flashlight which she set beside it. She then found something interesting, a photo. She found it was a picture of Sans and Papyrus as young kids. She found an unused frame under Sans’s bed and put the picture inside, then hung it up above his bed. She smiled, “I hope he doesn’t get mad.”  
When she checked the time it was already two, “Wow, I’ve been at this all for four hours.” She mumbled to herself then checked the fridge. “I guess I’ll go shopping.”  
She walked down to the market with the grocery money she found, she knew where Sans kept it. She walked inside and was greeted happily by the clerk. She bought as many things as she could, paid for them, then came back to the house. Once everything was put away she decided to cook again, but this time she would cook an old favorite.

“SANS, I TOLD YOU THAT YOU WOULD GET FIRED IF YOU KEEP SLACKING OFF LIKE THIS!”  
Sans chuckled, “I know, I know. Did you see anything suspicious today?”  
Papyrus shook his head as they approached the house, “NOT A THING, BUT I WILL NOT LET THAT STOP ME!”  
Sans opened the door, “I know bro but maybe another human…won’t…” He walked in and stood frozen by the door.  
“GOODNESS…” Papyrus whispered.  
The house was washed, cleaned, organized, and smelled fresh. Then the smell of food wafted from the kitchen as well as the melodic voice of Ryou humming in the kitchen. Sans cleared the fog in his head and walked in, the kitchen was sparkling as well, “You’ve been busy.” He said hoarsely.  
She turned to look at him, “I have been, welcome home guys.”  
He opened the fridge to find it stocked. He blinked a few times, “Wow…I haven’t seen the fridge so full in a while.”  
Papyrus ran down the stairs, “MY ROOM IS SO CLEAN!”  
Sans walked up to his room and opened the door. His eyes went wide, his room was spotless, made nice and neat, everything was organized and easy to find. Then he turned his attention to the picture above his bed. His vision blurred as tears formed in his eyes. Papyrus walked in and gasped, “IT’S SO CLEAN IN HERE!”  
Sans nodded, “Yeah…”  
Papyrus looked to the picture Sans was staring at, “I REMEMBER THAT.” He said placing a hand on Sans’s shoulder. “DAD TOOK THAT PICTURE, DIDN’T HE?”  
Sans wiped his tears, “Yeah he did.”  
When the brother’s returned to the kitchen Sans hopped up on the counter, “So, what are you cooking?”  
Papyrus sat at the table, “I AM MOST CURIOUS TO KNOW THE NAME OF THE DISH YOU ARE PREPARING AS WELL.”  
Ryou looked down at the food, “It’s just stir fry.” She said turning back to the brothers. “You’ll just have to try it, okay?”  
Papyrus nodded, “I SHALL WAIT HERE UNTIL YOU ARE FINISHED THEN.”  
Sans chuckled, “Hey Papyrus, I got one for ya,”  
“SANS…” Papyrus warned.  
“Where did the pepper go for drinks?”  
Ryou raised her hand, “I know!”  
Sans waved her off, “Come on Pap.”  
Papyrus sighed, “WHERE?”  
“The salad bar.”  
Ryou was giggling, “Oh, do another.”  
Sans cleared his throat, “Alright, let’s see…” He thought a moment. “I got a joke for you, why do pencils make such dull jokes?”  
“Why?” Ryou asked trying to maintain a straight face.  
“Because their pointless.”   
Papyrus slammed his hand against his face and let out a loud sigh, “REALLY?”  
“Sans, do you know what letter of the alphabet I like best?” Ryou asked with a slight blush.  
“No, can’t say I do, hmm,” He thought a moment. “Is it I?”  
“No,” She murmured. “It’s U.”  
Sans blushed, he seemed surprised, “Wow…that was pretty good. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.”  
Ryou shrugged and laughed, “You uh…told me it once before.”  
His blush deepened and he rubbed the back of his head, “Clever.”  
When the food was ready Ryou set the table and served everyone. Once everyone had a plate they dug in. Sans seemed a little hesitant, but ate it anyway. Papyrus stared at the rice for a while, “IT’S LIKE LITTLE WHITE SPAGHETTI.”  
Ryou laughed, “Yes, but it isn’t pasta.”  
Papyrus’s eyes went wide, “NO?”  
Sans chewed his food slowly, “It’s pretty good.” He said giving her a reassuring smile.  
Papyrus took a fork full of rice, meat, and vegetables and put them in his mouth. His face scrunched up for a moment, “THE TASTE IS TANGY AND SOUR, BUT IT IS DELICIOUS WITH THE..AH…RICE, WAS IT?”  
Ryou placed a hand on her cheek, “I’m so glad you like it.”  
She poked her food, her mind began to wander. Sans used to love eating everything she made, it made her warm inside to see him enjoying it again. He and Papyrus were sharing a joke and laughing, the look of joy on his face was almost overwhelming. She wiped her eyes with a smile, “I love you guys.”  
Sans smiled at her, “I think we should all go swimming next week.”  
Ryou glared a bit, “Oh?”  
He nodded, “I figured since Undyne told me the water is warm right now.”  
Ryou sighed, “Okay, but I won’t be getting in.”  
“WHY NOT?”  
Ryou looked away and chuckled, “I’m not a good swimmer, don’t worry, I’ll be watching you guys.”  
Papyrus looked to Sans who shrugged, “Nothing to worry about bro, she just needs some practice.” He winked at her.  
She blushed and stuck her tongue out at him, “I’m not getting in.”  
“Nobody told you to.”  
She blinked a few moments, “Right, sorry.”  
Sans’s eyes were on her, he seemed to be trying to figure out what was going through her head. She couldn’t keep eye contact, but the look of discomfort brought a grin to his face. Papyrus looked Ryou over, “I WOULD LIKE NOTHING MORE THAN TO TEACH YOU! I HAPPEN TO BE THE PERFECT TEACHER FOR SUCH ACTIVITIES! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AM A SKELETON WITH TALANT!”  
Ryou laughed, “Thanks Pap, I’ll be happy to uh…spectate.”


	7. Gaster..?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WELP! We knew that was coming...right? No? Just me? lol  
> Possible Fluff to come...? You'll just have to find out!

The week passed by quickly. Sans and Papyrus seemed to be spending a lot of time together, and it warmed Ryou’s heart to see them getting along. The day of their trip to Waterfall was started with Ryou having Undyne wake her and lend her a bikini. Ryou was mortified; the black bikini top was a size too small so her breasts looked much larger and rounder than she wanted. The left breast had, of course, a skull and crossbones. The bottoms fit her better, she just wore her jacket and some shorts Undyne let her borrow over her bathing suit. Undyne was sporting a yellow crisscross one piece that was open in all the right places. Alphys, as adorable as she always was, was wearing a blue body hugging one piece, her exact words being, “Mew Mew wears this when she goes s-swimming too…”  
Undyne begged Ryou to at least show the brothers her bathing suit, but she felt too shy. Undyne seemingly ripped her clothing off and rushed her out the door, “Come on, I want to know what they think of it!”  
Ryou felt her heart racing as she stumbled to a stop at the top of the stairs. Sans and Papyrus were talking about something and didn’t seem to notice. Undyne and Alphys walked out, “Hey, what do you guys think?”  
They looked up to see Undyne and Alphys posing and then Ryou standing awkwardly in the middle. Sans’s eyes seemed to go wide and his jaw dropped. Papyrus did the same but managed to fix the problem before it came off. Ryou felt the warmth in her cheeks, “H-H-How do I l-look?” She asked shyly.  
Sans sat speechless on the couch, but Papyrus jumped up, “YOU LOOK READY FOR A DIP!” He gave them a thumbs up.  
Ryou pushed her arms over her chest in an attempt to cover herself but Undyne came up behind her and took her by the wrists, forcing her arms up over her head with a laugh, “Doesn’t she just look adorable!”  
Ryou felt it, the slipping of cloth from skin. Papyrus’s eyes went wide and he fell backwards onto the floor with a thud, Sans’s nose began to run red…she couldn’t tell if it was blood or ketchup but he fell back onto the couch with wide eyes. Ryou looked down, “Uh…”  
Alphys had hands over her eyes, “Undyne! Put her arms back down!”  
Undyne looked over Ryou’s shoulder and her face went red, “Oh shi-!”  
Ryou suddenly screamed and pulled her hands away to fix the top. She ran back to the bedroom and slammed the door behind her. She was shaking, on the bed.  
Undyne came in, “I’m sorry.” She laughed nervously, but she looked sincere.  
“I just exposed myself…” She murmured in horror.  
Alphys came in a moment later, “Well, that was…something.”  
Ryou put her clothing back on, “This is about to become the most awkward trip I’ve ever taken.”

Frisk and Toriel were already at the spot. There was a lone duck giving rides across the water there, Ryou wondered why they had to walk all the way around everything just to have the duck be right there? When they got everything to the spot, everyone greeted one another.  
Toriel embraced Ryou, “Ah, my child, you look much better than when I last saw you. I hope your stay with Papyrus and Sans has been good?”  
She nodded with a big smiled, “Of course.”  
Undyne picked up Frisk and noogied the child gently, “Sup brat?”  
Frisk signed, “Good to see you too!”  
Papyrus ran and cannonballed into the water, splashing Alphys who shivered, “That water feels nice, I think I’ll join you!”  
She gently got in and relaxed herself. Undyne had Frisk on her shoulders and they were running around laughing. Sans took off his clothing down to his swim shorts, then joined his brother, before Ryou knew it, everyone was in the water…except her.  
Sans waved to her to join but she nervously shook her head, “Hey! Don’t worry; I’m right here to keep you up!”  
Ryou sighed, undressed herself, and slowly walked to the water’s edge, “Are you sure..?”  
Sans swam next to her, “I’m sure, just take my hand and jump in.”  
She took his hand; she hesitated before she decided to jump. She felt the water engulf her head and panic rose, but before she knew it she was at the surface. Sans gave her a cocky grin and she splashed him, “Don’t make me get out.”  
He shrugged and pulled her to the others, she was able to touch the bottom of the lake easily, even at her neck. She felt uncomfortable but she kicked her legs to help give her a bit of a boost. Everyone was playing water polo, Sans was it. He reached around, “Marco!”  
“POLO!” Everyone shouted, the water splashed as bodies scattered away.  
Ryou swam a bit towards shore as to not go deeper into the water. She laughed as Sans began to grab at Toriel who screamed away from him. Papyrus ended up being grabbed instead, “NYOO HOO HOO!” Papyrus cried dramatically, then laughed as everyone crowded around them.  
“Sorry bro,” Sans laughed and patted his back.  
Papyrus closed his eyes, “MARCO?”  
“POLO!”  
The game began again. Ryou decided to keep to waist deep water to keep herself from the deep waters they were all swimming in. Sans swam back over to her and stood beside her, “How do you expect to play way over here?” He asked, giving her a sideways grin as he watched his brother flail around trying to catch Undyne.  
“I feel much safer here.” She mumbled folding her arms under her chest.  
Sans turned to her, “I think this is a good time to learn, don’t you?”  
She shrugged, “I guess.”  
Frisk had silently gotten out of the water and was attempting to sneak over to her towel, but Sans called out, “Frisk out of water!”  
Everyone turned to Frisk who was now frozen mid-step. Toriel shook her head, “No cheating young lady!”  
Sans snickered, “Nice try kid.”  
Ryou watched as Frisk walked around the edge of the water then to Ryou. She smiled and signed, “Sans taught me how to swim, he can teach you.”  
Ryou smiled and pat her head, “Alright,” She gave in. “But just remember, if I drown…you know what to do.”  
Frisk rolled her eyes and swam back to the others. Ryou turned to Sans who looked shaken, “Are you okay?”  
He nodded, his expression turning to a happy one, “Yes, now let’s get the basics down.”  
They spent an hour on just learning the kicking and arm motions. Once she got it down she was able to swim short distances. She smiled wide as she began to glide over the water, “I think I got it!”  
Sans chuckled, “Great, see? Was that so hard?”  
She shook her head, “No, actually that was pretty straight forward.”  
He chuckled, “Let’s get out and eat something, I’m really hungry.”  
Ryou looked to the others, “Sure, do you think they are too?”  
Sans shrugged, “Probably not, they are playing so I doubt they will be done anytime soon.”  
She turned on her heel and got out, Sans handed her a towel and they dried off. They ate a few of the sandwiches Toriel brought until they were full, “So…you look very nice in that.”  
Ryou looked down at the bathing suit, “I hope you’re not just saying that because you saw more than I wanted.” She glared.  
His face lit up and he looked at the others to avoid his gaze, “N-No, nothing! I swear I’m not talking about-” He sighed and chuckled. “You really like watching me flounder, huh?”  
“Sort of, but I do appreciate the compliment.” She pulled her knees to her chest. “I don’t think you’ve ever seen me this exposed before, I mean when I was younger I used to come here in stuff like this, but I mean when we were involved...” Her voice trailed off.  
He raised a brow at her, “Wait, what do you mean by that?”  
She blushed, “We never really…uh…” She felt her face burning. “You never saw any part of me naked before…” Her voice was trembling.  
“Ryou,” He said and pat her shoulder. “I don’t have any idea what you are talking about, I never saw you naked.” He winked.  
“But I…oh…I see what you did there.” She laughed. “Um, thanks.”  
The rest of the day went smoothly, Ryou was able to somewhat swim so she was able to play a few games before everyone got out. She remained in the water for a while, enjoying its warmth and her victory, she could swim. She felt confident enough to go until her feet couldn’t touch the bottom, she felt happy of her accomplishment, she could swim like her friends.  
“Hey, don’t swim out too far!” Sans called to her.  
“I won’t!” She called back. She felt like a snake in the water, slithering over the surface with ease. She was looking down to see the bottom; she could see the fish swimming below her. She laughed as one tickled her swimming past. She could see something among the fish, a blackish looking ball. She stared at it for a while until to her horror, a face turned to look at her, its twisted features smiled at her, and it reached out to touch her leg. The feeling was like an electric shock, she screamed as the creature came shooting up at her from the bottom. Before she knew it she was under water and flailing.  
She heard Sans calling out to her and multiple splashes. She was face to face with it, it stared at her with sad eyes and a wide grin, it said something inaudible, moving its hands as if using sign language but it was gibberish. It then reached out to lightly touch over her heart. She felt her heart leap as a static feeling washed over her. She screamed as her vision went black.  
“Ryou!” Sans looked over her frantically, “Can you hear me?!”  
She woke then, her eyes went wide and she felt her body shaking violently, “GET AWAY FROM ME!” She screamed pushing Sans from her as she frantically tried to get up. Tears ran down her cheeks as she stared at Sans in horror, her heart raced.  
“Hey, Ryou you’re okay now.” Sans said gently kneeling beside her. “You’re okay now.” He murmured as he touched her cheek.  
She stared at him, her heart slowed and her panic dissipated. Sans carefully pulled her in to hold her as loud sobs erupted from her chest, “Sans…!” She sobbed into his shoulder.  
“Is she okay?” Alphys asked looking to Undyne.  
Undyne looked to the water, “I don’t know, but she must’ve been terrified if she pushed Sans away from her so violently.”  
“You’re alright Ryou, I’ve got you.” He whispered to her and rubbed her back.  
“Sans…” She mumbled against his shirt. “I…saw someone in the water…” She hiccupped.  
“What did they look like?” He asked pulling back to wipe her tears.  
She took ahold of Sans shirt with an iron grip, “He looked…sad…he had two visible cracks along his skull…” She said sniffling. “His eyes…were so sad but the smile…his creepy black smile…” She began to shake again. “He…he touched me here.” She pointed to her heart. “He said something I couldn’t understand, the sound of it…was like gibberish hand signals.”  
Sans’s eyes looked void and he had sweat beading down his face, “He…was he…speaking in wing dings?”  
Ryou looked confused but nodded, “Yeah…something like that.”  
The light in his eyes returned, “Sounds to me like you saw a ghost.” He chuckled and wiped away her tears. “Don’t worry, something tells me he wasn’t trying to hurt you.”  
She nodded, “He just startled me…” She mumbled looking back to the water. “If I heard this right…” She signed a bit trying to remember what he had said.  
Sans gently took her by the shoulders, “You’re absolutely sure?”  
She nodded, “Yeah, that’s all I remember.”  
He sighed, “I have an odd feeling you met Gaster.”  
She looked confused, “Gaster? You mean…”  
He sighed and nodded slowly, “It’s hard for me to believe but…” He looked back at the water. “He was the only monster who could speak it.”  
Ryou felt her heart flutter, “What did he say?”  
Sans looked back to her with a gentle smile, “From what I could read, he said something along the lines of, ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘please tell’, but that’s all I could make out from the signals you were using.”  
She looked to the water, as though she could hear the words directly she spoke, “He wanted me to apologize to you, he asked me to tell you that it’s okay.”  
Sans looked back at her, “What?”  
She rubbed her temples, “I don’t know why…but I just feel so strongly that it’s what he said.”  
He went quiet and looked out at the water. But he soon turned to hug her, “Let’s go home.”  
Papyrus spoke up, “WHAT ARE YOU TWO TALKING ABOUT? IS SHE ALRIGHT?”  
“I’m fine Papyrus, I…just got spooked by something.” She said giving the group a reassuring smile.


	8. A kiss and A Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I started to blush writing this, dunno what it was but it was definitely cute XD

When they got home, Ryou felt exhausted. Sans and Papyrus got everything put away and in the washer. Ryou changed into one of Sans’s shirts and a pair of shorts. She sat on his bed and began to think over what had happened. Why her? Why would Gaster show himself to her?  
There was a swift knock on the door before the door opened, “Hey, how you holding up?”  
She looked up to see Sans walking up beside the bed to sit with her. She shrugged, “I…I feel better.”  
Sans nodded, “You know, I used to have horrible night terrors about Gaster, in them he was always angry with me but never told me why.”  
Ryou sighed, “Sans…I don’t believe Gaster is mad at you for leaving.”  
Sans looked ashamed then, his eyes void, “No…I’m sure he is…”  
Ryou scooted herself until she was sitting with him, “I think you’re being too hard on yourself about it.”  
Sans shrugged, “It was my fault, if he let me do it instead of him-“  
“Don’t say that!” She cried. Sans flinched, his eyes were wide with surprise. “Sans, you should be grateful! You didn’t leave your brother behind, you didn’t get erased…you are here…” She was shaking with anger; her eyes were full of tears. “You have no idea what kind of hell this world would be like without you…”  
He stared at her; he couldn’t find the words to say to her. Her expression softened and tears overflowed as she gave him a shaky smile, “A world without you…isn’t worth living in…” She murmured as she took his face in her hands and gently pressed a kiss on his mouth.   
He was frozen, the gentle caress of her lips were so warm against him. He felt emotions tug and tear at him, he wrapped his arm around her waist and his other hand tangled gently in her hair, his eyes drifting closed. The moment lasted for what felt like an eternity before she pulled away. Sans opened his eyes to see her smiling, her pink irises almost glowing. He gave her a small smile, “That was unexpected…” He whispered.  
She blushed but she didn’t move, “Yeah…”  
“Can…we…do that again?” He chuckled.  
She giggled and kissed him softly. He placed a hand on her cheek, the room was spinning and he couldn’t get enough. It was like a door opened in his mind and there she was standing with arms wide open. When they parted again he reached up to gently trace her bottom lip, “I’m sorry I can’t…kiss you back…” He chuckled nervously. “Not that it wasn’t nice.” He assured her.  
She smiled happily, her eyes closing and a gentle pink settling on her cheeks, “It was like a fire deep in my soul, like the embers of what once was is burning again.” When her eyes opened again they were full of love and joy, something in the coloring of her pink irises was a hint of something more.  
There was a knock on the door. Sans turned his head to the door, “SANS? ARE YOU BOTH IN THERE?”  
“Yeah bro, what’s up?” Sans chuckled turning to face Papyrus who walked in happily.  
“I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE WAS HUNGRY, I AM COOKING TONIGHT!” He said with a proud smile.  
“Sure Pap, we’ll join you in the kitchen in a few minutes.” Ryou said and gave him a salute.  
“VERY WELL! I WILL MAKE IT THE PAPYRUS WAY!” He posed dramatically. “WHICH IS THE BEST WAY! NYAH HA HA!” Ryou giggled as Papyrus went running out of the room.   
Sans shrugged, “Isn’t my brother the coolest?”  
“The coolest.” She mimicked.  
Sans looked Ryou over and sighed, “Welp,” He said getting to his feet. “Guess I’ll go make sure he doesn’t burn down the house.”  
Ryou watched him leave the room, she was smiling brightly but she was blushing heavily. She felt happy she finally did it, and he even asked for another. She felt so giddy she rolled herself in his blanket and buried her face in the pillow and screamed with joy. She was so happy she could barely stand it.

Sans couldn’t keep the goofy smile off his face, he felt too happy inside right now to care. He walked down to find Papyrus humming something in the kitchen. He walked up behind his brother and peaked around him, “So, watcha cooking Papyrus?”  
His brother looked down at him, surprised Sans was interested in what he was doing, “OH! SANS, YOU STARTLED ME; I’M MAKING YOUR FAVORITE, SPAGHETTI!” Papyrus’s voice rang through the kitchen. “I SEE YOU ARE HUNGRY, I SHALL COOK QUICKLY!”  
Sans shook his head, “Na bro, take your time, makes it come out much better.”  
Papyrus watched as Sans sat down and rested his cheek in his hand while he stared off into space, Sans’s goofy smile still glued there. Papyrus seemed confused, “BROTHER, YOU SEEM MUCH…HAPPIER TODAY.”  
Sans continued to stare off into space, “Oh?”  
Papyrus shrugged, “SO…WHAT WAS IT RYOU SAW? YOU WERE BOTH TALKING SO LOW NOBODY COULD HEAR YOU.”  
Sans snapped back to reality then, “She thought she saw someone but it was just a fish trying to scare her.” He laughed.  
Papyrus raised a brow, “WHY WOULD A FISH SCARE HER?”  
Sans’s laugh died away and he stared at the table, “She thought she saw someone who passed on.” He admitted.  
“I SEE, I SHALL MAKE THIS SPAGHETTI EXTRA DELICIOUS FOR OUR FRIEND!” He shouted enthusiastically.  
Sans smiled at his brother, “You’re so great bro.”  
Papyrus grinned happily, “I AM, AREN’T I?”  
After everyone was done eating, Ryou went to bed. She told them she wasn’t feeling too well and felt sleepy. They agreed and she went back up the stairs to Sans’s room. Sans watched her with a worried expression, something seemed off suddenly. She had looked so happy earlier, what had changed? Passing it off a exhaustion from the lake Papyrus and Sans spent some time together watching Mettaton re-runs until Papyrus was ready for bed, so Sans went up to read to him.  
“SANS..?”  
“Hmm?”  
“WILL RYOU BE OKAY? I’M WORRIED…”  
Sans sighed, “I’m sure in time she’ll be okay.”

Ryou found herself lying in the snow. She was confused, how could she have gotten there from Sans’s room? She stood up and shivered, the cold wind was blowing through her. She looked around but the area around her was dark. She looked around, “Hello?” She called out. “Anyone there?”  
She heard something, the crunch of footsteps, “Hello..?” Her voice trembled.  
“Howdy!” The voice cackled.  
Ryou looked down to find Flowey, “No…”  
“It’s me! Your best friend Flowey!”   
“NO!” She cried, she turned to run but found no escape. There were vines blocking every which way.  
“This is all just a bad dream!” His face distorted and he cackled. He began to twist and crack, snapping and crunching as his form began to change into something large and horrific. Chara was standing on his shoulder holding something in her hand...Sans’s jacket.   
Everything grew darker and darker until she was plunged into a black abyss. She felt terrified sobs erupting from her chest, “Sans..? Papyrus..? Anybody?!” She called out. But no one came.  
“This is all just a bad dream…” She looked behind her to see all of her friends, vines holding them and twisting into their souls. “And you’re never waking up.” A whisper like poison in her ears. The vines pulled and all her friends were turned to ash.  
She screamed, holding her head in her hands, “No...NO!” She sobbed. She was shaking.  
She threw herself into the sitting position, her eyes were glowing and a pink mist was emanating from them. Her body was alight with pink flames and she was hyperventilating in a dark room. She felt the loneliness take over, she was alone in her room. The flames got brighter and brighter, her sobs echoing off the walls.   
The door slammed open and both Sans and Papyrus ran in. Sans was horrified to find Ryou engulfed in a raging fire storm on his bed. She was holding her head and crying with wide eyes.   
“SANS! WHAT’S HAPPENING?!”  
“Ryou!” Sans called to her.  
Her power seemed to grow as what looked like black Gaster Blasters morphed in around her. His eyes grew wide, there was no way…  
“SANS WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!”  
“Ryou!” Sans cried out to her and took a step towards her. “Ryou calm down!”  
She heard him; she could hear him, “Sans…” The fire faded, the Gaster blasters faded, and like that the room went dark. Papyrus turned the light on; Ryou was lying on her side and shaking uncontrollably.  
Sans ran to her side, “Ryou? Kid, can you hear me?” Sans asked looking over her.   
She looked up, her eyes were still glowing and tears poured out of them, “Sans..? Is that you?”  
He sighed softly with relief, “I think so.” He chuckled a little breathlessly and pet her hair to help soothe her. “What happened?”  
Papyrus came over, “WHAT’S WRONG WITH HER? DID I DO SOMETHING?”  
Ryou continued to be quiet; she couldn’t get words out of her mouth. Sans turned to Papyrus, “Pap, this wasn’t you’re doing.” Sans patted his brother’s hand.  
“WILL SHE BE ALRIGHT?”  
“Yeah, she’s alright.” He turned back to Ryou who was trying to take deep breaths to calm herself, “Just focus on breathing, okay?”   
After a few moments Ryou was breathing normally and she was lying limp on the sheets with Sans running his thumb over her hand. Papyrus was downstairs getting a glass of water for her while Sans waited for her to respond.  
“I’m sorry Sans…” She murmured.   
Sans shrugged, “For what? I don’t see any reason to apologize.”  
She shook her head, “I was…having a nightmare…”   
“Oh.” He seemed to calm a bit. “Would you like to talk about it?”  
She nodded, “I woke up in the freezing cold, there was nothing but darkness all around me,” She said then she grit her teeth. “Flowey…” Her voice held malice, a want to kill. “He was transforming into some kind of demon…and Chara…” She sat up and her eyes glowed. “SHE WAS HOLDING YOUR JACKET.”  
Sans looked her face over, she looked more than angry, “Hey, hey…listen, it was a nightmare, nothing more than your fears trying to play a dirty trick on your mind.”  
Ryou seemed to calm, “They killed everyone…”  
Sans pulled her into his arms, “Ryou, we won’t let that happen.” He turned her face to look at him. “I won’t let that happen.”  
She calmed, her cheeks were rosy and she seemed to go limp in his arms, resting her head against his shoulder, “I feel sick…”  
Sans nodded, “I’m surprised you’re still conscious with the amount of energy you used.”  
Papyrus came back and handed the glass to her, “ARE YOU OKAY..?”  
Ryou smiled weakly, “Thanks Papyrus, yeah I’m okay.”  
He let out a sigh of relief then hugged both of them, “GOOD, THE GREAT PAPYRUS WOULD BE VERY SADDENED IF YOU WEREN’T.”  
Sans brushed a hand over her forehead, “You’re burning up.”  
She shrugged, “Happens…” She managed through a yawn. She sipped the water then handed the glass to Papyrus. “Sorry guys…I’m going back to sleep.”  
Sans nodded, “You go ahead Pap, I’m going to watch her tonight just in case.”  
Papyrus hesitated, “ARE YOU SURE YOU DON’T NEED ME TO…STICK AROUND?”  
Ryou smiled, “Of course Pap, come on there’s room for all of us.”  
All three of them were lying on the bed; the light was off except for the small lamp on the dresser. They kept that on in case she woke up scared again. She snuggled her face against Sans, he kept a linked arm with Papyrus and Papyrus was snuggling a pillow. They all relaxed, Ryou slipped back to sleep knowing the brothers were there. Papyrus followed, snoring softly beside Sans. Sans lay there for a while, he had never seen power unleashed dangerously like that before. She was just gaining her magic; it wasn’t healthy to have used so much. He knew, no matter how much he hated to admit it, she would be horribly ill tomorrow.   
Sans pulled Ryou’s body closer, he felt the warmth of her body against him. Once he knew she wasn’t going to awaken until morning, he closed his eyes, knowing if she needed him, he would be right there. 

The next morning Sans found Papyrus gone, assuming he went down stairs to make breakfast. He looked at Ryou who was in his shirt but her pants were gone. She had her cheek pressed against his ribs. She looked so cute, like a child. He pet her hair for a bit, enjoying the feeling of her silky hair through his fingers. She purred a moment before her eyes fluttered open, “I hope you don’t wake Papyrus like this.” She murmured.  
“I hope Papyrus didn’t notice your pants were missing.” He chuckled as she looked down to find her pants were indeed gone.  
“Where are my pants..?” She asked groggily.  
He shrugged, “You tell me.”  
She looked around and found them across the room, “How…did they get over there?”  
Sans shrugged, “No clue.”  
She went to get up but Sans stopped her, “Hey, take it easy today, that energy burst last night might’ve damaged something.”  
She shook her head, “I feel fine.”  
He glared at her, “Lay down.”  
She gave in and lay back, “I’m lying down, happy?”  
“Yes, you could say I’m feeling Sans-sational.” He chuckled.  
Ryou snorted, “Good one.”  
He chuckled, “I’m sorry to act so heartless towards you.”  
She laughed a bit harder, “Stop it.” She giggled and playfully pushed him.  
He blushed, “Let’s focus on resting.”  
She grumbled, “So lay here with my empty thoughts all day?”  
Sans shook his head, “I’ll be here with you, it’s not like I have anything better to do, and you of all people would know I love doing absolutely nothing.”   
Ryou flicked him, “Stop being such a lazy bones.” She giggled.  
He shrugged, “Hey, it’s what I’m best at.”  
They sat there for a while until Papyrus came in with a plate of what she could see were pancakes, “Papyrus, when did you learn to make pancakes?”  
He handed the plate to her, “TORIEL SHOWED ME! SHE’S ALWAYS BEEN SUCH A WONDERFUL COOK, I THOUGHT I WOULD ASK FOR A RECIPE!”  
Ryou took a bite, it was good aside from the every now and again crunch of an egg shell, “It’s really good.”  
He looked ready to burst, “WOWIE! I’M NOT JUST GOOD AT SPAGHETTI, BUT AT THESE TOO? AHEM…” He cleared his throat then corrected himself. “A-AS EXPECTED OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS!”  
Sans stole a bite from her and chewed, “Hmm…pretty good.” Sans chuckled. “Great job bro.”  
Papyrus stood valiantly, “OF COURSE I DIDN’T LEAVE YOU OUT SANS, THERE’S A WHOLE PLATE FULL FOR YOU IN THE KITCHEN.”  
Sans looked to Ryou, “Nah, sorry Papyrus, I’m not too hungry, plus I have a whole breakfast right here.” He gave Ryou a devious sideways smile.   
She almost choked on her pancake, she looked away from him with a deep blush, “I…I hope you’re talking about the pancakes.”  
He nodded, “Of course, what else would I mean?” His smile said otherwise.  
Papyrus rolled his eyes, “COME ON SANS, BREAKFAST IS AN IMPORTANT MEAL!” Papyrus picked up his brother, towing him from the room.   
Sans waved at her, “I’ll be back up in a bit.”  
She laughed, “Sure thing.”


	9. Could Be Worse!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So...I thought I would...make this a little more fluffy for you guys (heh) but the bone zone will have to wait a little longer <3

Ryou was ill; she felt it come on after finishing her food. Sans rubbed her back while she pushed through waves of nausea, she groaned, “Why me…”  
“You used up a lot of power last night, I told you that.” He laughed softly.  
She glared back at him, “When you over used your power you just fell asleep.” She grumbled.  
He smiled a little wider, “I don’t have the necessary organs to really get nauseous.”   
She huffed, “S’no fair…”  
He planted a kiss on her shoulder, “It’ll go away soon, just think of it as…” He thought a moment. “I really don’t have much to compare it to, honestly, but I assure you it will pass.”  
She laughed weakly, “Thanks.”  
There was a swift knock on the door. Sans got up and opened it to find Undyne and Alphys, “Hey there ladies, what brings you to my humble abode on this fine afternoon?” He grinned and wiggled his brows at them.  
Undyne pushed past him, “We’re here because Papyrus told us that Ryou’s sick, we came by to give her some comfort with anime! I also stuffed a bag with some clothes and stuff from Alphys and put it in the bathroom for her.”  
Alphys smiled and waved at Ryou who smiled back, “W-We came to s-see if you might…want to watch an anime with us? Try and take your mind off the sickness?”  
Undyne looked to Sans, “What’s she sick with?”  
Sans looked away with a guilty smile, “She had a power surge last night.”  
“A what?”   
Sans sighed, “She used up all her magic and just about demolished the house. She had a nightmare. Scared me and Papyrus half to death…well, you get it.” He sighed and lay back down beside Ryou and continued to rub her back.  
Undyne glared at him, “Could you get tender with her another time? We have anime to watch!”  
Alphys pulled out a portable television and set it up on the wall, she got the cords plugged in and then popped a disk into the drive, “It’ll just take a second…” Alphys said looking back at the group.  
Ryou turned over and buried her face in the fluff of Sans’s jacket, “Pillow…” She purred.  
Sans looked at her with a cautious smile, “No barfing on my jacket please.”  
She shook her head, “I can only promise to try…” She murmured against the fabric.  
Undyne laughed, “You guys are such weenies!”  
Alphys managed to get everything working, then she came up beside Undyne and everyone huddled together, “Hey, where’s Papyrus?”  
“RIGHT HERE!” Papyrus rang in with a bowl of slightly overcooked popcorn; he lept onto the bed beside Undyne, causing the bed to bounce as he settled in. “I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE POPCORN!”  
Ryou groaned, “Please don’t do that again…”  
Sans looked at his brother, “Careful Pap, we don’t need her throwing up on my bed.”   
“MY APOLOGIES, I WAS SO EXCITED I FORGOT.” Papyrus mumbled in confusion.  
“SHUSH! It’s starting!” Undyne yelled.  
Sans and Ryou were lying behind the others who sat at the edge of the bed. Sans couldn’t pay attention to the television with Ryou looking so uncomfortable. She was starting to sweat, “Hey, are you alright?” He murmured.  
She nodded, “Yeah, just a little too warm.”  
He helped her pull her jacket off, then she curled up against him with her head under his chin. He felt her hand find his and she curled her fingers with his. He blushed, but he smiled, “Comfortable?”  
She nodded slowly, she was drifting to sleep. Sans pet her hair with his free hand until he could feel her steady breathing, then relaxed himself. He looked up to find everyone grinning back at him, though Papyrus seemed to just smile. He shrugged at them, “What?” He whispered.  
Undyne looked to Alphys and they smiled at one another, quietly returning their gaze to the anime. Papyrus hesitated but turned back as well, Sans felt a fluttery feeling inside him. He felt strange.

The end of the anime came a few hours later, Sans’s head was resting on Ryou’s and they were both asleep. Alphys blushed, “They’re so cute!” She whispered in excitement.  
Undyne grinned, “I have to agree with you Alphys.”  
Papyrus looked over his brother, “SANS LOOKS…PEACEFUL.”   
Undyne nodded, “It’s been a while since I saw him so content, even when he is slacking off he doesn’t look like this.”  
Alphys smiled, “It’s Ryou, she’s really gotten under his…oh, I guess skin wouldn’t really make much sense.”  
Papyrus nodded, “I AM HAPPY TO SEE MY BROTHR IS DOING WELL.”  
Undyne yawned, “Okay, pack it up Alphys; we should be heading back…”  
Papyrus helped them pack up their belongings, “WALK HOME SAFELY.” They left and Papyrus went to the kitchen to practice cooking, needing something to ease his mind.  
Sans woke up, it was late afternoon already and everyone was gone. Ryou was still sleeping against him. He pet her hair for a few minutes before managing to slip out of her grip and head down to the kitchen to talk with his brother.  
“Hey Papyrus.” Sans greeted with a yawn.  
“SANS YOU LAZY BONES! NAPPING WHILE THERE IS WORK TO BE DONE!” Papyrus scolded him, but there was a hint of a smile on Papyrus’s face.  
Sans chuckled, “Yeah, what work you wanna do?”  
Papyrus gave his brother an embarrassed smile, “H-HELP ME WITH THE PUZZLES?”  
“You’re puzzles? Sure, I wouldn’t mind, there is a ton of work to be had.” Sans said giving his brother a goofy smile. “But you could say-“  
“SANS!”  
“It’s a skele-TON of work.” Sans laughed.  
“STOP THAT!”  
“But I need to put some more…BACKBONE into it, huh?”  
“SANS! I’M WARNING YOU!”  
“I’ll be sure not to get chilled to the BONE.”  
“EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE!”  
“Oh come on Pap,” He chuckled. “When we’re done we should get a drink at Grillbyz.”  
Papyrus hesitated but sighed, “IF YOU HELP ME, THEN I WILL.”  
“Thanks bro.”

Ryou woke up a little later to find herself alone, she looked around the room, the lamp was on but nobody was there. She could move again without feeling ill, which was fantastic, but she was hungry. She managed to get up and walk to the door without a problem, “Sans..?” She murmured as she opened the door. She could hear the brothers laughing, a little more loudly than usual.  
“And then wents to given him tah glassh…” She could hear Sans talking, but his words sounded slurred.  
“NYAHAHA! GOODSH ONE BRIGHTER…B-BROTHER.” Even Papyrus sounded strange. She walked down to find both the brothers with bottles in their hands and laughing uncontrollably.  
“What…the hell am I looking at?” Ryou asked rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn’t still asleep.  
“Oh! Ryou…hey, hey we…we were jush talkin bout you.” Sans was giggling.  
Papyrus gave his brother a confused look, “NO, NO WE…WE WEREN’T TALKING ABOUT THE HUMAN! WAIT…SHESH HALF HUMAN, RIGHT?”  
Ryou gave them a blank stare, “Are you drunk?”  
“Me? No, no…I mean…wesh had a few…why?” He asked rubbing his cheek slowly.  
She sighed, memories began to flood her mind and she looked away, “I hope you’re having fun.”  
“I’m…totally having the besh night of my life, babe.” He chuckled and held his cheek lazily in his hand. “Right Papyrush?”  
Papyrus was dozing off, “SANS…SLEEPY.” He grunted then fell backwards in his chair onto the floor where comically he fell asleep snoring.   
Sans laughed, “Bro, thash not your bed…”   
“Did you call me Babe?” Ryou’s vice was a little above a whisper.  
Sans set the bottle down, “Hey, comm’er.” He motioned for her to join him.  
She hesitated, “Sans…I think you should get to bed.”  
He shook his head, “Not yet! I…I wants to FRISK you.” He erupted in giggles.   
She lost her appetite then, something in her felt betrayed by this scene, “Sans...go upstairs.”  
He sighed heavily then stood from his chair, “Fine…”  
She helped him up the stairs, she felt bad leaving Papyrus there but with the limited energy she had she couldn’t manage them both. Once they got to the room Ryou could feel arms wrapping around her, “You wanted me here to yourself, didn’t ya.” He murmured against her ear.  
A little stunned she pulled away from him and stumbled towards the bed, she sat on the edge and stared as Sans walked towards her clumsily, “Sans…you should really sleep.”  
He shook off his jacket and tossed it to the floor, “I can’t think of sleep lookin at you…” His eye was slightly glowing as he got onto the bed and pulled her to him. “With those love struck pink eyes of yours…” He murmured caressing her cheek.  
She was wide eyed, her heart was racing, her cheeks burned, and she was losing her energy to fight him, “Sans…”   
He used his free hand to trace down her side, then took the hem of her shirt, sliding under he gently trailed his fingers up her stomach, “So soft…” He whispered and planted a kiss against her lips, his cheeks were flushed a deep blue. Ryou could taste the alcohol on him but she found that she couldn’t seem to stop herself from giving into his touch as it caressed its way under her bra. She froze, she could feel him hesitating. He groaned softly and pulled his hand away, “I’m sorry…I…I can’t…” He let her go and held a hand to his head, “I hope I didn’t…”  
She shook her head, “No Sans, it’s alright…you just need to sleep.”  
He nodded, “Wow…” He was starting to sober. “I…almost…”  
“Please, get in bed and sleep.” Ryou urged.  
He crawled in beside her without another word. She watched him until he drifted, closing his eyes and falling asleep. She sighed and kissed his forehead, snuggling in beside him she closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep.

Sans felt an awful pain in his head, he opened one eye to See Ryou sitting beside him with her knees pulled to her chest, “You look like you’re feeling better.” He chuckled and yawned.  
She didn’t look at him but nodded, “Yeah…”  
He raised a brow at her, “Ryou? Is everything alright?”  
Her cheeks reddened and she sighed, “Sans…you should’ve let me know you were both drinking yesterday.”  
His eyes widened, “Oh…right.” He scratched his head, then memories flooded back and he gasped. “Oh…I…I was…” He sat up quickly and pulled her into his arms. “No, that wasn’t me…that wasn’t the real me…”  
She laughed, “I know that you bone head,” She hugged him a little tighter. “But…you were so…”  
He let her go, he looked ashamed of himself, “Papyrus and I were having such a good time we got carried away. I swear I wasn’t…I wouldn’t…”  
She held a hand to his mouth to silence him, “I don’t like drunk you, but something…about the way you were touching me…”  
“Please tell me I didn’t try to have...you know…with you…” He looked more than ashamed at this point.   
“You touched my boob and sobered up before anything more happened, calm yourself.” She laughed.  
He looked at his hands, “Which one?” He chuckled.  
She playfully swatted at him, “Don’t be such a pervert!”  
He shrugged, “Whether or not of how ashamed I am right now I’m still a man, babe.” He caught himself a moment. “Okay that slipped out…”  
She giggled and shook her head, “It’s alright, it happens.” She looked away but looked back at him under thick black lashes, “I don’t mind.” Her voice was like silk.  
He blushed and smiled, avoiding her gaze, “Heh,” He scratched the back of his head. “O-Okay then…”  
Papyrus came into the room with tears in his eyes, “SANS! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME? MY HEAD FEELS AS THOUGH IT IS SPLITTING OPEN!”  
Sans nodded, “Sorry bro, we drank a little too much last night.” He turned his attention to Ryou who was staring at the floor.   
Papyrus groaned, “WHY DID I LET YOU TALK ME INTO DRINKING WITH YOU!”  
Sans chuckled, “Dunno, but I’ll tell you Pap, you can really pound ‘em down.”  
Ryou snorted softly, “Sans, I think your brother needs something for his hangover.”  
Papyrus sniffled, “I’M…GOING TO TAKE A SHOWER. I WOKE UP SMELLING LIKE GRILLBYZ…”  
Sans laughed as his brother shamefully exited the room, “I won’t tell Undyne about it!”  
Ryou could hear Papyrus’s groan down the hall as the bathroom door shut. She folded her arms and glared at Sans, “You had better apologize to him.”  
He rolled his eyes but held a smile, “Yeah yeah.”  
Ryou got up, “I’m going downstairs to make myself something to eat.”  
Sans nodded, “Would you mind some company?”  
She folded her arms and looked him dead in the eye, “Depends,”  
Sweat beaded on his brow and he chuckled nervously, “O-On?”  
A grin curled her lips, “Can you cook?”  
“Oh no…”

Ryou watched as Sans cleaned up the kitchen, once it was nice and tidy she showed him how to make pancakes. He fumbled for a few but once he understood he was cooking them by the dozen. She was impressed, eating a few of them to fill her empty stomach.  
“Great job.” She praised.  
He chuckled, “Thank god, I was worried they would be a little Well Done.” He chuckled.  
She giggled, “Really Sans? Really?”  
Papyrus came down the stairs, “MUCH BETTER!” He announced then walked in to see Ryou sitting at the table while his brother stood cooking at the stove. “B-BROTHER? ARE YOU COOKING?”  
Sans whirled around, “O-Oh! Papyrus, sorry…uh…you want a pancake?”  
Papyrus stared at his brother for a moment in stunned silence, “Sans, they’re going to start burning.”  
He turned back to put them on a plate, he turned the stove off, “Whoops.” He handed the plate to his brother, “Here.”  
Ryou laughed suddenly, “We’ve been having pancakes a lot.”  
Sans nodded, “It was just my turn to cook them.” He laughed then winked at her.  
She blushed and looked to the table with a small smile, something seemed confused inside her but she pushed it away. She could barely hear Papyrus’s praise to his brother over the sound of her heart beating in her ears. Sans had never done something so bold, even in her own timeline. They had never been undressed or hands on, it was just hand holding and kissing before. But this Sans…he had taken that boundary and destroyed it. She felt like she couldn’t breathe right when he looked at her, her cheeks were on fire but she couldn’t let him know how much his actions the night before really affected her.  
“That sound okay?” Sans asked her.  
She blinked and looked up at him, “Sorry, what?”  
He chuckled, “I said Toriel sent Papyrus a message, it’s Asgore’s birthday and she invited us to go, it’s semi-formal. I wanted to know if that was okay with you.”  
She nodded, “Yeah sure.”  
He raised a brow at her but shrugged, “Okay, go get ready.”  
She nodded and practically ran to the bathroom. She locked the door and turned the water on, once it was hot she undressed herself and got in, “What am I going to do about this…” She wondered aloud as the water poured over her.   
She scrubbed herself, washing up and down her body until her hand rested on her breast where Sans had left a lingering tingle of nerves. She swallowed hard, his touch had been so…  
She shook the thought from her head, turning the water off she got out of the shower and grabbed her towel. As she dried herself she looked in the mirror to see something she didn’t expect. The once lonely damaged monster hybrid girl she always saw wasn’t there, in her place was a powerful and beautiful woman, skin soft and pale like cream, her hair framed her skin like freshly fallen snow cascading over shoulder. She blushed a bit as she noticed even her body looked different, almost more defined, rounded and curved. She had never seen herself like this, she looked…unreal.  
She had picked out a dress Undyne had given her, a red and black plaid dress with no straps. It parted down the middle to expose frilly black fabric that fanned out mid-thigh. She wore black stockings and furry black boots to keep her feet warm. She put on a little black sweater that cut off at the elbow and came down to her thigh. Placing a little red rose clip Alphys had managed to stuff in the bag in her hair; she looked confidently in the mirror. She managed to do her hair a bit using her magic to heat her finger and gave herself makeshift curls. Once she was dressed, she noticed a small bag from Alphys, it was make up.

Sans was dressed in his good jeans, he had on a gray dress shirt under his blue hoodie, like hell he was going out without it. Papyrus looked proud in his button up salmon colored dress shirt, he had on black slacks. Sans could almost cry, his brother looked so grown up. He chuckled, “Bro, you look dressed to impress.”  
Papyrus nodded, “THANK YOU FOR NOTICING BROTHER!”  
Sans chuckled, “Well, Ryou should be done soon…I hope.”  
“Right here!” She called and walked down the stairs.  
Sans could feel as though the air were stilled and time slowed down for a moment. She looked immortal, her black eyes with a red shadow over her eye lids lined with black eye liner that defined how long her lashes really were. Her bottom lashes were more defined as well as the top, fanning out like a black feathered wing. Red lips curled into a smile that made a shiver go up his spine, she looked…  
“WOWIE! YOU LOOK SO LOVELY!” Papyrus exclaimed.  
She blushed, looking to the ground as she approached, but before she did, she shot Sans an almost hungry look from under her dark lashes. His reaction was too good for words, he was almost trembling, “Y-You look amazing…” He said hoarsely, he let out the air he was holding out in a very audible way.   
“Thank you, you guys look pretty nice too.” She giggled softly.  
They both blushed. Sans chuckled, “Alright, let’s get over there.”  
Sans took their hands and took a deep breath, “Close your eyes and count to three.”  
Ryou closed her eyes, “One…Two…”  
“Three…” Sans whispered next to her ear. She shivered and she felt the room pull and tug until it was over.   
“Welcome to the Dreemurr house!” Sans exclaimed with a chuckle.


	10. The Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So! I...was having a busy day and sorta popped this out of my head last minute so I apologize for errors and mistakes lol I hope you guys enjoy anyway!  
> Also, I'll leave a link to the song she sings if you guys wanted to know: (I DO NOT OWN THIS SONG OR VIDEO)  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMfnTKi7O-M

Everyone walked up to the door; they could hear the voices of their friends inside. Papyrus fiddled with his jacket, trying to make sure it was straight while Sans shifted nervously from one foot to the other. Ryou rolled her eyes with a gentle smile she knocked on the door. When it opened Toriel gave them all a big smile, “Oh my goodness don’t you all look lovely!”  
Ryou hugged Toriel, “I’m glad to see you again.”  
The goat woman blushed and placed a hand on her cheek, “What a pretty dress, I bet I know who gave that to you.”  
Ryou blushed as the brother walked in, “Hey Tori.” Sans greeted with a shy smile.  
She touched Sans’s cheek and smiled, “Wouldn’t be much of a party without our comedian, would it?”  
He blushed and shrugged, “So whose here?”  
She looked back, “You three were all that was left.”  
“Papyrus darling!” Ryou watched as Mettaton strut into the room and practically jumped into his arms.   
Papyrus smiled, “GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN METTATON.”  
Toriel winked at Ryou and walked into the next room. Sans watched Mettaton getting hands on his brother and he glared, but he sighed and turned to Ryou, “You go on ahead; I have to pry this can opener off my brother.” He chuckled and kissed her hand.  
She blushed and nodded, “I’ll be in the next room.”  
Before she walked in she spotted the DJ. She walked up to him and requested a song to be played for later. He nodded and told her the timing would be just right, not understanding what he meant she shrugged and walked towards the door.  
Upon walking in she was overwhelmed with the amount of people that were there. She maneuvered her way over to Undyne when she felt something touch her. She looked down to see Frisk smiling up at her. She had on a red velvet dress with a white ribbon around the waist tied neatly with a bow. Her white stockings combined with her little red slippers topped it off; she was officially the cutest person in the Underground.  
“Hey there Frisk.” She knelt down and hugged her. “What’s going on?”  
Frisk signed, “Come see my dad.” She took Ryou by the hand and led her through the crowd until they stopped in front of Toriel and a larger man whom Ryou remembered as Asgore. He looked at Ryou curiously, then stood up, “Howdy, I am Asgore, King of the Underground. I would offer you some tea but I’m afraid I won’t be going near the kitchen until Toriel finishes the cake.” He chuckled.  
Ryou nodded, “It’s a pleasure sir, my name is Ryou.”  
“You’re a human, no?” He said looking to Toriel who shook her head.  
“No sir, I am half human.”  
“Half human? Wow! I’ve never heard of someone who was half a human before!” He let out a hearty laugh before standing.   
“I’m half monster.” She shifted uncomfortably.  
He walked up to her and looked her over closely, “Those eyes are definitely not human.”  
Ryou blushed and looked away, “Yeah…”   
“Asgore stop that you’re making the poor girl uncomfortable.” Toriel scolded.  
He chuckled, “Sorry, I was only curious.” He took a step back and smiled warmly at Ryou. “Please enjoy yourself, there’s food, good company, and our comedian just arrived.”  
Ryou looked back at the little stage that was set up and watched as the lights dimmed. Sans walked up with his hood on and took the microphone with one swift motion of his hand, he twirled it into the air and caught it, bringing it up to his mouth. Before he managed to utter a single word the audience cheered, “Thank you.” He chuckled. “Evening everyone, I was invited as a special guest tonight to entertain our king for his birthday, how old are you now Asgore? I can’t tell with all your facial hair.”  
The audience chuckled. Ryou watched in awe as he poured over jokes, hilarious life stories, then onto a few jokes that had the audience laughing to the point of crying. Ryou was smiling, “Well I’ll be damned.” She whispered to herself.  
“As much as I would like to have you all laughing until your lungs collapse, I wanted to say something.” He took a deep breath. “Before this person came down here and changed me, I was having a hard time, you know, the laziness and the free hot dogs, sounds horrible right?” He chuckled and the Audience did as well. “I wanted to say thank you to that person for giving me a whole new reason to care. Your smile and your determination has fueled me to continue to make awful jokes and torture people with my bad Puns.” The Audience laughed but gave a clap.  
Ryou felt her chest tightening as Sans winked at her, motioning for her to join him on stage. She felt nerves flutter in her stomach as she slowly walked up to the stage and he helped her up. From there she could see everyone. She felt her cheeks turning red, this was embarrassing for her but she took a deep breath. He shrugged, “Want to say a few words?”  
She took the microphone for a moment; she took a deep breath, “Sans, you are a funny guy. You are also lazy to accompany that, well there is more but let’s not poke too far into your Sunday afternoons.”  
Before she could utter another word she heard the song she had asked for start to play. She felt her face flush a moment and Sans looked to the Dj who gave him a thumbs up. The song played its lullaby, the piano playing almost softly. She knew he had waited to hear her sing, she hadn’t realized the songs were being played to be sung. She was too embarrassed, stage fright began to tug at her but she managed to open her lips. Her soul caused a slight pink to emanate off her skin. She closed her eyes, “Deep deep down…I be-lieved…I could bring you back to me~” She couldn’t believe she was singing on stage. “In this game…I found fun…can the da-mage be undone…e-ven if I’m no longer real-ly me, there’s still a part that lives inside my heart that hopes to be, by your side until you reach the end…no matter what I am by then, I’ll always be your friend, don’t leave…me be-hind, won’t you let me win this time…I don’t want…to let go, but I’ll be okay alone…” Her own voice was angelic. As the song began to fade out she turned her head to look at Sans who was staring at her with wide eyes. The audience erupted in claps.  
Ryou’s eyes opened and she blushed, she was shaking a bit as she handed Sans the microphone, “Sorry, I just stole your thunder didn’t I.” She giggled breathlessly.   
Sans dropped the microphone and threw his arms around her. She was stunned for a moment before she pulled her arms up to hold him. Everyone seemed to cheer and before they knew it their friends had jumped on stage and threw themselves around them. Papyrus, Undyne, Alphys, Mettaton, Toriel, Frisk, even Asgore. Ryou felt her heart swell a moment before tears welled in her eyes.   
“I had no idea you could sing.” Sans chuckled against her ear.  
She nodded, “I normally don’t…” Her breath was shaky, she wouldn’t ever have the guts to do that twice, but it had filled her with such determination to give Sans a little taste of who she really was.  
“You guys are amazing!” Undyne laughed.  
Alphys nodded in agreement, “That song was beautiful! And Sans your comedy genious! You guys should go into-“  
“SHOW BUSINESS BABY!” Mettaton sang. “You’re very talented darling~” He giggled.   
When the wave of people went back to the party and the stage was dark again, Ryou walked outside for a moment while Sans went to talk to Toriel. She took in a deep breath, she felt her heart still racing and her legs felt weak.  
She breathed in the night air and sighed, “I hope this never ends…”  
“Someday it has to…” She could hear Sans’s voice ring in her head. She remembered the conversation they had just before everything went to hell. Then the voice became direct, “Ryou…you know you can’t stay in this timeline forever…”  
She shook the thought from her head, “God damn it…” She hissed at herself.   
Sans walked out onto the balcony and took his place beside her, “You really have a talent for singing.”  
She pushed away the bitter thoughts and smiled at Sans, “Yeah? I didn’t think he was going to play it while I was on stage but I couldn’t help myself.”  
He blushed, “I enjoyed it, then again, I was only asked to be comical, I couldn’t sing if my life depended on it.”  
Ryou laughed, “I’m sure you could with some practice.”  
He chuckled but shuffled a bit then turned to her, “Ryou…I need to say something.” He seemed to struggle a moment, his eyes struggled to look at hers but he took a deep breath, “I…I lo-“  
“HEY GUYS! Asgore’s cutting the cake!” Undyne yelled out the door to them, cutting Sans off. She grinned wide. “Hurry up or you won’t get any!” When the door closed Sans sighed and chuckled.  
“You were saying?” Ryou smiled.  
“I’ll tell you some other time.” He offered her his arm, she took it without hesitation. Sans smiled, but a hint of disappointment glinted in his eyes. “It can wait.”

The rest of the night went smoothly; Ryou had fun talking with people and having cake thrown around. When it was all done, Asgore had everyone stand together. Sans took Ryou’s waist and pulled her closer to him. She looked into his eyes and he flashed her his goofy smile. She pressed a kiss to his mouth and a flash of light emanated around the room, someone had taken a picture.   
Sans was blushing, his goofy smile got wider, “Nice timing.”   
She blushed as the picture was passed around. She stared at it, everyone was smiling, laughing but not them, they were too busy locking lips, so to speak. She hid her face a bit but everyone seemed pleased with the turn out. It got late, people began going home and the room was almost empty.   
“This was an eventful night.” Sans said to Asgore who nodded.   
“That it was, best birthday I’ve ever had.” He laughed.  
Toriel smiled and placed a hand on her husband’s chest, “Gorey, I think it’s time I gave you my gift.”  
Asgore turned a bright red and laughed, “Well guys, I have…kingly duties to attend to. Thank you for coming and I hope to see you all soon.”  
Undyne walked up to Sans, “We invited Papyrus to watch anime at my house, you guys wanna come?”  
Sans looked to Ryou, “I think we’ll pass for now Undyne, we’re a little exhausted.”  
She shrugged, “Suit yourselves.” She turned and ran to Papyrus; she linked her arm in his then took Alphys’s hand. “ANIME PARTY AT MY HOUSE!”  
Sans took Ryou by the waist and teleported them back to the house. Ryou walked in and immediately pulled off her boots. She yawned and stretched, “So, what’s on the agenda for tonight?”  
Sans watched her a moment, “I…don’t know…” He rubbed the back of his head and blushed.  
She felt the nerves in her stomach then. They were alone; they were all alone together overnight. She could see he was fumbling for words but couldn’t get them out. She felt her cheeks redden and she knew what she wanted, he was awake, he was sober…it might’ve been the kiss earlier, it could’ve been the way he was looking at her all night but she felt the mischievous thoughts brewing inside her head, she could tease him right? Just a little push…  
She gently place her foot up on the arm of the couch, pulled her dress up to just before her underwear and began to pull her stocking off, revealing her pale slender legs. She could see Sans staring at her from the corner of her eye, she could see the sweat beading on his brow.   
“You know Sans,” She said softly as she stepped down, then brought her other leg up to pull down the stockings. “I had a lot of fun tonight, I think you should be a professional comedian.”  
“You think so?” His voice sounded strained.  
She glanced up at him; he walked around her to sit on the couch. He did his best to keep his gaze away from her. She then sat beside him, turned her back to him and moved her hair, “Could you…unzip me?”  
He made a slight choking sound, then what sounded like a gulp, “S-Sure…” He hesitated before taking the zipper between his fingers and slowly pulled it down to expose her pale back.   
Ryou could hear his heavy breathing; she could almost hear his internal struggle for restraint. She liked this, she knew him too well. Once the dress was loose she stood up, not realizing his hand was still gripping the fabric. It came off down to her thighs and she let out a startled gasp. Sans was staring wide eyed at her black underwear, he was shaking with the dress fabric still clutched in his hand.   
“Oh dear…” She said softly. “You know you could do something other than stare at my behind Sans.” She giggled.  
His eyes darted to her face then back several times before it clicked in his head he needed to give her the dress back. He immediately let go, “S-Sorry that was…why are you…I…” He was nervously trying to speak.  
She blushed as she pulled the dress off herself, leaving herself in her underwear, “I’ll be in the room if you need me.” She gave him a smile and walked up to his room and calmly shut the door behind her.  
Sans let out an exaggerated breath, “That was…she’s not…” He gulped and looked at his bedroom door, he felt an overwhelming urge to run inside but he held himself back, what if she had too much to drink and was just being playful? But…what if she was being serious..? He groaned as he poured over what to do next, all his thoughts jumped together until he couldn’t take it. He stood up and walked up to his bedroom door, with a turn of the handle he opened the door and closed it behind himself. His eye was glowing and he grinned at her, “It’s not very nice to tease me like that.” He growled softly.


	11. Touch me...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay so...this would be my first attempt at a...I want to call it a smut scene but I'm sure there's another word for it! I can't stop blushing...gosh I am such a sap X3

Ryou was on the bed, she was propped up on the pillows waiting for him. What was her dress, her bra, and her underwear were left neatly on the floor leading to where she lay. Sans took in everything in the room a moment, then his eyes were trained on her. The light from his bedside lamp left the room in an almost romantic glow, casting its warm light over Ryou’s pale body. All his confidence sizzled down to nothing; he was nervous but kept his face from showing it.   
He took in a shaky breath; his legs shook with every agonized step towards her, her pink eyes glued to him as she watched him move. When he managed to get to the bed, a small grin curled on her lips, causing a shiver to run down his spine, “I’m…really...it’s really getting hot in here huh?” His voice was hoarse as he strained to keep composed.  
She moved slowly, he could tell she was just as nervous as him as her shaking hands grabbed the zipper of his jacket and pulled it open, “Then take off your jacket.” She murmured and leaned back a bit. Sans couldn’t help his eyes wandering down to her chest, her rounded breasts looked soft…  
He averted his eyes and slid this jacket to the floor. He was now down to his dress shirt and jeans. She gave him a confident smile and he felt a little more reassured. He took a deep breath, as he began to unbutton his shirt; her eyes were watching him closely. He was halfway down his shirt when she took his arm with a shaking hand and pulled him onto the bed.   
“T-Touch…me...please…” Her voice betrayed her; the shaking nerves were making her sound afraid.  
Sans didn’t hesitate to reach out and place a gentle hand on her cheek, she could see he wasn’t nervous anymore, “Don’t sound so scared…” He whispered as he caressed her jawline. “I’ll touch you if you want.”  
His hand began to gently drift over her skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. She shivered; his fingertips were lined with a bit of his magic, causing little fluttery sparks to dance over her skin as he made his way to her chest. He hesitated a moment to take in her reaction, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were closed. He felt his smile widen, she was enjoying it. He brushed over a nipple, earning him a little gasp from her as her eyes opened a bit to look at him. He chuckled softly, okay that was a spot to definitely come back to. He curved his fingers around her both her breasts, then trailed a small line down to her navel. Her eyes drifted shut and she twitched; her fingers curled the blanket under her as he made his was to her hips. From there he could hear her breath speeding up.   
“It’s almost fascinating watching you,” He chuckled as he drew little circles on her skin. She looked into his eyes expecting the same humor, but instead saw him sweating with hungry eyes trained on his fingers. A wave of heat ran through her from head to toe, she bit her lip.   
She couldn’t speak, no matter how much she tried. She could feel him inching further down until his fingers brushed between her legs and she managed to let out a little squeak, causing his eyes to lock with hers. The pleased hum that rumbled in his chest made goosebumps roll over her skin. “Am I close to a sweet spot?” He whispered.  
She could only nod, and that was all he needed to continue. Without warning he sat up and took ahold of her legs; he gently opened them. Ryou let out a surprised gasp, her eyes wide. She was chewing on a finger as he looked down at her.  
The gentle smile that spread over his face calmed her a bit, “It’s okay Ryou, I’m not going to hurt you.” She knew that, but the embarrassment of it was overwhelming. He continued his exploration, running his fingers over her outer walls before his finger brush gently against her clit. A small moan escaped her. He stared up at her face and chuckled, she looked horrified at the sound she made. Now he knew a good spot to tease by the reaction she had. He used his thumb to gently rub that same spot, his reward was sweeter than anything he could’ve hoped for. Her legs began to tremble and her fingers gripped the blanket harder. The little moans escaping her lips seemed to flood out of her. She was shaking and her hips pressed up into his hand. He noted the area around his hands were quivering, she was becoming more and more moist. He couldn’t help but explore a little south; as he continued on that same spot he used his other hand to feel over her opening. She let out a cry and he froze, “D…Did I hurt you?”  
She shook her head, “No…”   
He continued without haste, then brought one hand up to look at the clear juices that seemed to be flowing from inside her. “This is…a normal thing?”  
She tried to hide her face but couldn’t seem to do it, “It…happens…when I feel…good…” She managed as she panted; he was still rubbing her though not as roughly as before.  
He made a small estimate; she must’ve been feeling pretty good. Almost pleased with his handiwork he tested the waters a bit, pushing a finger into that opening. “S-Sans…I…I’m gonna…” The cry that ripped through her startled him. She was drooling a bit as her cry died out; she went limp, her eyes staring off in a haze while her body shook. Sans looked down to see the amount of juices pouring from her, she had hit a release.  
“Wow…” He breathed. “That was something else.” He chuckled and left a few kisses down her leg.   
She seemed to be coming back to earth, her eyes drifting lazily to his with a shy smile, “You’ve got magic fingers,” She laughed softly. “But enough of me.” She locked her legs around his waist suddenly, which surprised him. “Let’s start on you.”  
“M-Me?” Before he could protest she had him pinned on his back. He looked up at the devious grin on her face. “R-Ryou I don’t-“ She tore open the rest of his shirt, pleased at the nervous look that spread over his face. “I-“ He gasped as she leaned down to lightly lick his collar bone. He stopped talking as her nails gently scraped over his ribs.   
“Relax Sans,” She murmured against him. “I’ll take good care of you.”

Ryou took her time, savoring the feel of him under her touch. She made it down to his last rib and gently suckled the bone. He groaned a bit, “I…like that…” He said breathlessly.  
She grinned a bit as her fingers trailed down to his pelvis, his eyes widened but he stayed still. Her fingers gently caressed the bone; his bones were sensitive under her touch. The helpless look on his face was adorable; he seemed struggling to stay calm. She knew what he liked already; she had studied him before all of this. She knew what would drive him wild.  
She bent her head down to nibble his hip; she could feel him shaking now. He was averting his eyes; he looked ashamed that he was enjoying it. “I’m…I’m not sure how…you’re enjoying doing this to me!” His voice was mixed with a sudden gasp as she bit down, not enough to hurt him but enough to push his worry away.   
She licked around the bite, “I’m enjoying this more than you realize, it’s the first time I’ve ever gotten to see you so vulnerable…” Her breath was hot against him as she spoke. He shivered and closed his eyes to force himself to relax. Once he did she began to gently run her nails down his spine as she continued the oral assault. Her tongue gently sweeping over every curve and edge, each small spot she touched earning her a strained but pleasured cry from him. She had never been so lucky before, so happy to see him enjoying himself.   
“Ryou…I…I can’t take much more of this…” He panted through clenched teeth.   
She felt her heart start to race; she hadn’t realized how much she had stimulated him. She grinned and knew what would send him over the edge. She dipped her head further down and gently bit down on his pubic bone. He cried out loudly, his fingers gripped her hair and he pushed his hips up. She could feel him trembling; his whole body was practically vibrating. He was panting with wide eyes, the wave of his orgasm rolling through him like a storm. Ryou gently kissed the bite, her fingers trailed along the bone.  
“S…Stop…I…can’t…n…no more…” He begged. “T….Too…much…”  
She crawled up next to him and kissed his forehead, “You’re so cute.”  
After a few moments he had calmed, his breathing was steady. He managed to pull her into his arms and held her there for a moment before speaking, “Ryou…do you remember when I told you earlier that I had something important to say?” He sounded close to falling asleep.  
She nodded, “I remember.” She murmured.  
“I’ll say it…” He whispered. “I love you…”  
She felt her heart leap out of her chest and she felt an overwhelming happiness fill her. She pulled back to place a kiss on his mouth, “I love you too.” She whispered.  
After a few minutes of rest Ryou grinned at him, “I think we can do that again…right?”  
He laughed and shrugged, “If you really want to.”  
“I do.”

Sans woke up, his eyes were burry as he strained to open them. He groaned softly and attempted to move but a familiar form was holding onto him. When his eyes adjusted Ryou was smiling sleepily at him. He gave her one back, she looked cheerful this morning. His eyes drifted down to see her bare chest pressed against him and all of the night before flooded back. He reached down to caress her cheek, “Good morning…” He murmured.  
She nuzzled his hand, “Mornin…”   
He yawned and pressed a kiss to her head, “I’m surprised you’re awake.”  
“Not really…” She mumbled. “You were just trying to steal my pillow…” Her arm wrapped around him tighter in a hug.   
He laughed, “Sorry,” he shrugged and pet her hair a bit. “You hungry?”  
She nodded sleepily, “Mhm…no pancakes.” She grumbled.  
He rolled his eyes, “Okay, no pancakes for you.” He chuckled. “What would you like?”  
She nuzzled him and then began to nibble his ribs, “Fooooood…” She mumbled against him.  
He pulled her head from his ribs and gave her a kiss, “Okay, stop trying to eat me and I’ll go make you something.” He chuckled.  
She nipped his jaw, “Hurry back.”  
He got up, pulling his shorts on and his hoodie. He stretched a moment then walked out of the room. Once the door closed behind him Ryou yawned loudly and stretched herself, “Such a sweetheart…”  
She could feel uncomfortable moisture between her legs and she got up, “Shower…” She mumbled as she grabbed Sans’s grey button up shirt and slipped it over her shoulders. She walked out into the hallway and into the bathroom to get the water running before she got in. Once the water was nice and hot she pulled off the shirt then noticed the slightly bruised bite marks on her shoulder and neck. She blushed and ran a hand over them, “Jesus Sans.” She murmured.  
When she was done in the shower she pulled on some shorts, her bra, but kept his shirt on, but didn’t bother to button it up as it was big, even on her. She walked down the stairs and found him putting something into the oven, “Hey, I figured I would make this a special breakfast to-“ His eyes widened at the bruise on her neck and he took a few steps towards her, “Oh jeez…did I do that?”  
“Yeah, doesn’t hurt though, I have one on my shoulder too.” She laughed.  
He looked a little horrified at himself but decided to leave it at that, “I’m sorry Ryou, “He caressed her cheek then he dropped his hand. “Anyway…what was I saying before this?”  
“Special breakfast.” She yawned.  
“Right, I wanted to make it special so I’m making muffins.” He looked away in embarrassment. “I um…asked Toriel how to make them last night and she gave me a recipe.”  
“How nice of her.” Ryou giggled and sat down at their table. “So Mr. Comedian, what do we have planned for today?”  
“As much as I would like to keep you in bed with me all day,” He chuckled and winked at her. “There are a few things I need to do, one of them happens to be working at my hot dog stand in Hotland. Sorta funny to sell HOTdogs in HOTland, huh?”  
Ryou snorted, “Honestly, was that on purpose?”  
He shrugged, “Maybe.”  
The oven dinged and he pulled the muffins out. He set them on the stove and grinned at them, “Came out better than I imagined.”  
Ryou moaned, “GIVE ME ONE!” She made grabby hands at him.  
He laughed, “You do realize you’re asking me to burn your tongue, right? Let them cool off first…I’m going to shower, ok?”  
“Mhm…” She eyed the muffins, licking her lips.  
He rolled his eyes with a smile and walked up to the bathroom. Ryou was almost bouncing in her seat as her stomach growled, “UNGH could you cool off any faster?!” She hissed.  
She huffed and decided to go upstairs to change into her signature outfit, her blue hoodie, orange scarf, white cut off top, black plaid skirt, her striped stockings, and her boots. She pulled her black beanie on and walked back down the stairs just as Sans walked out of the bathroom. She turned up to look at him, “What time are you leaving?”  
He shrugged, “In a few minutes, did you want to join me?”   
She shook her head, “Nah, thought I would use my time wisely and do absolutely nothing today.” She grinned.  
He laughed, “Sure sure, let me do all the work.” He retorted walking beside her, taking her by the waist he hugged her.   
“Do you think the muffins are cooled down yet?” She asked in a tiny voice against the fluff of his jacket.  
“Alright Papyrus, jeez, go grab one.” He chuckled as she raced to the kitchen.  
“Don’t call me Papyrus!” She called from the kitchen.  
Sans shrugged and walked in, she threw a muffin at him, he used his magic to catch it and he bit into it, “Well, as special as these are, I don’t think-“  
She had stuffed a huge bite in her mouth, her eyes were glowing a bit as she chewed, once she swallowed she stared at the muffin, “Sans…these are amazing!”   
He chuckled and blushed, “Hooray…” He took a bite and chewed, they had actually come out pretty good. He shrugged, “Huh, looks like my cooking skills aren’t completely useless.”  
Ryou walked to him and threw her arms around him, “I love you Sans.”  
He blushed, “I-I love you too.”


	12. Flowey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I bet everyone was anticipating Flowey and Chara's big appearance! Well, here you go <3

Ryou yawned as she walked around the snowy forest; it had been a minute since she was able to have time alone to collect her thoughts. She stretched her arms and looked out over the small snow covered valley; it was so peaceful and calm. Ryou felt at home, this was how it all should’ve been…this is how her life should’ve gone…not the devastating life she lived once before. Second chances don’t happen again and she was hell bent on making sure she preserved this peace…  
She heard something cackle in the wind, turning her head to look to find nothing but snow and trees behind her. She felt uneasy, something in the air wasn’t right. She brushed it off as paranoia and continued walking. She listened to the crunch of ice under her boot, enjoying the crackle of it collapsing under her weight. The atmosphere seemed delicate, like any amount of change could potentially destroy it.   
There was a sudden crack of something, Ryou spun around to find a tree had snapped and fallen behind her. She was a bit startled, but turned back to continue walking, but found someone blocking her way.  
“Hello again, Ryou.” Chara giggled, licking her blade.  
Ryou felt the world coming down, “C-Chara…” She breathed. “How…How did you-“  
“Unlike you, I came here without help.” Chara shrugged. “I have you right where I want you,” She giggled. “My new body.”  
“New body? Sorry to disappoint you, but this body belongs to me.” Ryou hissed.  
“Not for long! You see, there is only so much one body can do, but yours, oh my dear, yours is made for destruction! Limitless magic and even a soul that persists, you have determination inside of you, you have the key to my victory…my key to destroying humanity and Monster kind!” Chara giggled. “So sad you’ll have to miss it.”  
Ryou backed away but something snaked its way up her leg, “H-Hey!” Ryou called out as she fell backwards. “No…let me go!” Its vines crept along her body until she was tied and unable to move, thorns dug into her skin, causing her to bleed.  
“Come now Ryou, aren’t you happy? You’ll get to obliterate the horrible humans who killed your mother, you’ll have your revenge.” Chara said as Flowey slithered up her leg and up onto her shoulder. “You’ll be a god, but…sadly, it won’t BE you.”

Sans yawned, he had been at his post for a while and was on break. He needed this moment to send a text to Ryou. ‘Hey, what are you up to in Snowdin?’  
He sat back, his phone began to ring and he smiled, “Hey babe, what are you-“  
“Sans! Oh thank god!” Undyne was on the other line, she sounded hysterical.   
“Whoa, Undyne calm down, whats-“  
“It’s Flowey and Chara!” She yelled. “Alphys told me Ryou was walking outside Snowdin and not long after saw Chara and Flowey walking after her!”  
The phone slipped out of his hand, he began to sweat and fear twisted inside of him. He picked up the phone, “I’ll check it out.” He said and hung up. He hesitated a moment to process what was happening. If they were coming after her, then…she could be… He put up his closed sign and teleported to Snowdin. Taking no time to stop he was running out to where Undyne said she had been. Looking around frantically he could only find foot prints. Following them he could see in the distance was a fallen tree. Hopping over it he saw the scuffle of snow…and blood. He walked over and touched it, there was a small amount of black fabric around it and he cursed under his breath, “That has to be hers…” He growled. He pulled out his phone and dialed Alphys.   
“Sans? Oh thank goodness! I-I’m sure Undyne-“  
“Where did they take her?” He demanded.  
“I last saw them going towards the core, C-Chara destroyed most of my cameras…” She said frantically.   
“Damn it…” He hissed and stood. “I’m coming to you guys.” He teleported to Hotland without a moment’s thought. He needed to know more, he had to know where they were taking her. He ran into the Lab and looked around, “Alphys?!” He shouted.  
“Took you long enough!” Undyne yelled coming down from the room above. “My guards are scanning for them, but they can’t find anything.”  
Sans felt helpless, this wasn’t happening, “There was blood in the snow.”  
Undyne looked horrified, “You don’t think she’s-“  
“No.” He said flatly. “Where’s Papyrus?”  
“Upstairs, he’s sleeping.” Undyne said folding her arms.  
“Good.” Sans could at least relax a bit knowing his brother was safe.  
Alphys scurried in, “Sans, I h-have a feeling they need her for something if they took her without killing her.”  
Sans felt sick, “What would they need her for? I mean…in her timeline both me and Papyrus died, they were-“ His eyes widened as the realization hit him. “They must’ve killed us to…get us out of the way…” He felt more sick now. “Oh god…they weren’t after us, they were after her.”  
Undyne looked to Alphys, “She can’t use a lot of magic anyway, what could they want her for?”  
Alphys took a moment to think, “She’s a hybrid, both monster and human, right? I-If I’m right about this, then they might be trying to extract her soul.”  
“Why?!” Undyne looked horrified.  
“You remember what happened with Asriel, right? He absorbed a human soul and became stronger. He had godlike powers.”  
“But Ryou isn’t like that; she can barely use her magic.” Sans held a hand to his forehead.  
Alphys began pouring over things in her head, “If Flowey is involved…he might be trying to absorb her soul.” She wrung her hands. “Oh god, I don’t know what they are trying to do, but it doesn’t sound good.”  
Turning to her monitor she looked over the images. “If I could just get one of these darn things to work.” She tapped the monitor with a sigh, there was a flash of color from one of the cameras. She gasped. Rewinding the footage she paused it. “Oh my god…” Alphys looked back. “Guys, come check this out!”  
Sans and Undyne stood beside her and looked at the image. On the camera, for a split second, was an image of Ryou standing in the judgement hall, her back was towards the camera.  
“Ryou…” Sans breathed.   
“We need to head over there immediately.” Undyne said looking at Sans.  
“Right.”  
“WHERE ARE YOU GOING SANS?” Papyrus was awake.  
Sans cringed, “Oh…Papyrus, we…”  
“IF MY FRIEND IS IN TROUBLE, THEN I SHALL HELP TO SAVE HER.” Papyrus was glaring down at the group. “I’M NOT STUPID SANS, I CAN HELP.”  
Sans looked away, “Papyrus, I’m not letting you-“  
“THAT’S NOT YOUR DECISION TO MAKE, SANS.” Papyrus walked down and took Sans by the shoulders. “DO YOU THINK I’M USELESS?”  
Sans shook his head with a sigh, “No Pap…you’re strong, you’re helpful, and you’re my brother.” He took ahold of his arms. “But these monsters…” Remembering the nightmares when Frisk had come to the underground, he grit his teeth. “They aren’t like other monsters Papyrus, they are much more dangerous.”  
“AND I’M SUPPOSED TO STAND HERE AND WATCH YOU AND UNDYNE FIGHT THEM ALONE?” Papyrus looked angry. “DO YOU EXPECT ME TO STAND AND WATCH YOU GUYS GET KILLED?”  
Sans felt his hands shaking, but he gave in, “Pap, if anything happened to you I wouldn’t forgive myself…but you’re not going to let me live it down if we survive all of this are you?” He rubbed the back of his head and sighed. “Alright, then, we will have to really watch one another’s backs.”  
Undyne nodded, “I’m calling Asgore and Toriel.”  
“I’m calling Mettaton!” Alphys said rushing to her phone.  
Sans looked at his brother and hugged him, “Please promise me something,”   
“WHAT?”  
“If things go downhill, please run…” Sans felt Papyrus stiffen. “Please…”  
Papyrus seemed to nod, “ALRIGHT…”  
After a few minutes of waiting Sans was a jittering mess, this was agonizing. Undyne came back, “Asgore and Toriel are on their way.”  
Sans nodded, “Good,”  
Alphys came back, “Mettaton’s on his way as well.”  
Everyone was quiet for a moment, “Sans…are you crying?” Alphys asked with wide eyes.  
Sans absently touched his cheek, sure enough, “I didn’t even realize, sorry.” He wiped his eyes.  
Papyrus smiled at Sans, “NO NEED TO FRET DEAR BROTHER, FOR WE SHALL BE VICTORIOUS!”  
Undyne picked Sans up and hugged him, Papyrus joined in, then Alphys, “Come on Sans, we will have her back here no problem!” Undyne said with a big smile.  
Sans nodded, “I hope Toriel and Asgore get here soon.”

Ryou opened her eyes, “Ungh…what the hell…” She groaned. She got up; she was in the judgement hall. “Hello?”  
“Howdy!”  
Ryou’s stomach began to churn again, “Flowey…”  
“You’re finally awake!” He cackled. “You’re awfully confused, aren’t ‘cha?”  
Ryou glared but nodded, “Chara said something about a new body.”  
Flowey grinned, “So you know that part already, good.” He slithered closer. “You know, getting here wasn’t easy, following your trail back in time proved to be a pain in the ass, but hey, we got here right?” Flowey laughed. “Funny, Sans the skeleton and you, never would’ve believed it if I hadn’t seen it twice.”   
Ryou glared, “Let’s cut the crap and get to the point.”  
“I bet your wondering why you are here? Why all of these things seemed to happen to you? Gaster? Your magic? Possibly your mother not remembering who your father was?”  
Ryou felt a ping of something, fear? Or nerves? “I don’t know what you’re talking about…”  
Flowey rolled his eyes, “Come now, you cannot tell me you never pieced it together! You really are an idiot.” He cackled and slithered around her. “Your able to use Gaster blaster, a signature move Gaster can use, he taught it to Sans, but it is a move known by birth, it cannot be perfected unless you are derived from that line.”  
Ryou was shaking, “I don’t…”  
“Come on, you’re almost there!” Flowey hissed.  
“Are you trying to tell me that Gaster is my dad?”  
“Ding ding! We have a winner!” Flowey exclaimed. “Your mother was a human here in the underground, she married Gaster and lived her happily in secret…but then you came along, knowing of the danger your father took a monster’s soul and passed your mother through the barrier. Honestly, it would’ve been awfully fun to see you and your mother perish together just to see that old fool crumble.” Flowey shrugged. “But a thought hit me, you are a hybrid, your soul is the perfect piece to my puzzle! The perfect soul.”  
Ryou shifted uncomfortably, “Listen, as interesting as that sounds, it’s ridiculous. Gaster is trapped between dimensions, it’s weird that he would…” The words at the lake, could it be possible that he wasn’t trying to relay a message to Sans but was actually trying to tell her? “This is crazy!”  
Flowey grinned, “When I have your soul and Chara has your body, we will destroy everything. We will kill everyone, and you will be helpless to stop us. Honestly, this feels so unfair I can’t stop laughing.” He cackled again. “We would’ve had all of this sooner if your little friends hadn’t gotten in the way the last time.”  
Ryou felt her stomach roll, “You’re both crazy!”  
“Killing your friends was all we needed to get to you, but Sans had to go and ruin everything! Watching him turn to ash was more than satisfying.”  
Ryou screamed, “Shut up!”  
“’I love you’ how pathetic, he was incapable of loving you. He was incapable of saving you or his dumb brother, now look where his love has gotten you? Right here in our grasp.”  
Ryou was shaking, “STOP IT!”  
“And he will come to save you, and fail again. Oh how sad you will be watching the man you love slip through your fingers a second time.”  
Ryou’s magic flared around her, her eyes glowed and her hair shipped around, “IF YOU TOUCH SANS I’LL RIP YOUR PETALS OUT ONE BY ONE AND STOMP ON YOUR BODY!” She shrieked. Ryou felt something then, almost like something clipped her. She felt weak, her magic dissipated as she saw something glowing…her soul. Flowey was pulling out her soul.  
Chara walked out, “Smart idea extracting it when she powered up.” She giggled and walked up to Ryou. “I’ll take good care of your body.” Giggling Chara took her by the hair. “Goodnight.” Ryou’s eyes widened, then without warning everything went black.

Once everyone was present Undyne got everyone’s attention, “Thank you guys for coming, this is a little sudden but Flowey and Chara decided to pop up…they kidnapped Ryou.”  
Toriel clasped a hand over her mouth, Mettaton sighed, “And you want us to…save her?”   
Alphys stood next to Undyne, “Y-Yes! Ryou is our friend, we have to help her!”  
“Where’s Frisk?” Sans asked turning to Toriel.  
“Home dear.” She said looking to Asgore. “Chara and Flowey…how horrible…”  
Asgore nodded, “Chara…that evil child…” He grunted. “We will do all we can, but what do we do from here?”  
“We go in and kick their ass!” Undyne said throwing her fist into the air.  
Sans sighed, “We have to go in with a plan, if we just rush in we’re all asking to die.”  
Undyne paused and cleared her throat, she blushed, “As head of the Royal Guard I will have guards on standby, how will we do this?”  
“I’ll coax them out. Once we start fighting we can-“  
“BUT SANS, YOU’RE NOT POWERFUL ENOUGH FOR THAT.” Papyrus looked worried.  
“I’m a lot stronger than I look Pap.” Sans chuckled. “Listen, Undyne, Papyrus, and Toriel are best with long ranged attacks, so they can act as our outer ring. Asgore, Mettaton, and myself will take care of things directly. Alphys I need you to evacuate everyone from the core.”  
Everyone nodded, his plan sounded good. Asgore took a deep breath, “I think that is an excellent plan. Now, we will make our way through to the Judgement hall, does anyone have any objections?”  
“I’m terribly sorry to be ‘that guy’,” Mettaton said. “But how exactly do you expect me to fight in this form?”  
Alphys walked out of the room, then came back with something strange, “This should help.” She hooked it onto his battery. “T-Think of it as a little generator.”  
Mettaton flipped his switch and he transformed. He looked over himself, “Darling, you’ve outdone yourself yet again!” He hugged Alphys.  
Sans felt determined now, “If everyone’s ready, let’s get up there and finish this.”  
Everyone threw up their hands and gave a battle cry, Sans chuckled to himself, “You and Frisk really know how to bring people together.” He murmured to himself. “Don’t worry Ryou, we’re coming.”


	13. Battle Start!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goodness, I was a little emotional writing this! I hope to get down to more lovey things soon!  
> Enjoy~

They pushed their way up to Asgore’s house. There was dead silence hanging in the air, everyone in Hotland had been evacuated to Snowdin. Sans looked around, “I think it’s safe.” They carefully walked through into the tunnel beneath Asgore’s home. Sans could feel the fear looming in everyone’s hearts, but their determination almost rivaled it. He was impressed that they were all so brave.   
Once they managed to get through outside, Asgore stopped everyone, “May I have a word before we all go in?” Everyone nodded, “I want to tell you all how happy I am to have been friends with you. I saw a lot of you grow up, a lot of you fight each other, and a lot of you fall in love. I hope that no matter what happens, we will always stay a family.”  
Toriel rushed to his arms and held him, “We will Gorey…we will. We have to come home for Frisk.” She said with a smile.  
“Come on big guy, let’s kick some ass! Just like old times!” Undyne laughed.  
Asgore nodded and he motioned for Sans to go first. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. They flew open and his eye was glowing brightly. He turned and ran towards the judgement hall, everyone joined in, running full speed with their weapons in hand.   
Upon entering the room they slowed down and took in their surroundings. Sans could see someone; Ryou standing in the middle of the judgement hall, she was swaying a bit. “Ryou!” He ran towards her and caught her before she fell over. “Ryou, are you okay?” He looked over her fantically.  
Her eyes were closed, “Sans…” She murmured, then her eyes flew open. “NOT A CHANCE!” She laughed and sliced at him, but he managed to teleport away. “I was wondering where you guys were, too bad you came a little too late.” She barked out a laugh.   
“R…Ryou?” Sans was back with his friends. “What’s going on?”  
“So pathetic, I’m not your stupid little girlfriend Sans; I’m not that little weakling. No, she barely put up a fight when Flowey ripped her soul right out of her body!” She laughed as Sans began to shake. “My name is Chara, I do have to say this to you Sans, seeing you turn to dust once was great, but having me kill you in your girlfriends body is just poetry.” She twisted the knife in her hand. Her eyes were glowing red and her grin was wild. “Funny, without her soul I could take over without a problem!”  
Sans’s eye began to glow brighter, “Where is her soul.”   
“Oh, that little thing?” She grinned, the floor began to shake. “It has been put to good use.”   
The floor cracked and hissed, breaking open as vines shot out. One lifted Chara up off the ground, “You see, we found a good use for her soul.” The room grew dark as a giant leafy monster emerged. It’s face appeared on the screen, “Howdy! It’s your friend! Flowey!” It cackled.  
Everyone stared in horror as his face twisted into Ryou’s, “Help…please…” Ryou’s voice echoed throughout the hall. Then it disappeared, Flowey’s evil laughter replaced it, “She was hell bent on killing me, really wanted me dead! But…instead, I took out her soul!” He sang out then giggled. Chara’s face twisted and her grin became almost terrifying.  
“You want her body and soul back?” Chara licked her blade. “Come get them.”  
Sans was trembling, Papyrus placed a hand on Sans’s shoulder, “I was hoping we wouldn’t have to fight.” Sans suddenly laughed, tears streamed down his face. “What a joke.” He placed a hand over his eye. “Now look what you’ve done.” He chuckled through a sob. His eye blazed suddenly, and his body took on a blue aura. “Get ready guys.” He said turning towards his friends. “This is going to get ugly.”  
Flowey laughed, “Let’s end this timeline! Let’s end all of this!” Everyone took their places, readying their magic as Flowey readied his attack. “LETS HAVE SOME FUN!”  
“It’s a beautiful day outside…” Sans said taking a step towards Flowey. “Birds are singing, flowers are blooming…” He took out his arm, his hand glowed as a massive Gaster blaster morphed in behind him. “On days like this, trash like you…” The Gaster blaster’s mouth opened and a bright light filled the room. “Should be BURNING.IN.HELL.”  
The room exploded in color, spears, fire, bones and lasers began to pierce the air. Sans faced off against Chara, he jumped out of her way with ease, “Something you probably didn’t know about Ryou.” He said grinning as he teleported and tripped her. “She’s not the fastest person I’ve met.” He said hopping back and dodging again. “Honestly, from all those other timelines, Chara, this has to be your worst attempt yet.”  
She hissed, “Shut up! I’m going to tear you apart!”  
Undyne and Papyrus tag teamed, Undyne threw Papyrus up and he used his ‘Fabled Blue Attack’. Flowey became grounded and shook a bit. Asgore and Toriel used their fire magic, sending waves of fire to melt Flowey’s iron vines.  
“YOU WON’T GET AWAY! YOU’RE BLUE NOW!” Papyrus said and began a barrage of bones that twisted in with Undyne’s spears. She was tossing them by the handful, her eyes as wide as her smile.  
“You’re one freaky flower!” She yelled.  
Mettaton ran up close, taking hold of Flowey and looked around, “Your soul has to be around here somewhere…” He mumbled as he dodged Flowey’s vines. “I don’t see anything! If she’s here she’s not visible to me!” He called down to Undyne and Papyrus.  
“Well look harder!” Undyne yelled.  
Sans dodged Chara again, “You bored yet?”  
She grinned, “I know why you won’t attack me outright! You can’t stand to hurt the woman you love, can you!” She missed Sans by a hair as he rushed around her to give her a swift kick to the back, sending her flying into a pillar.   
He used his magic to toss her again, “You’re really pushing me to try.” He growled throwing her into the ground.   
Papyrus narrowly dodged a tentacle and managed to stab a few hundred bones into it. Flowey cried out but knocked Papyrus into Undyne, sending the two into the wall.  
“Papyrus!” Sans cried dodging Chara again.  
“WE’RE FINE!” Papyrus yelled.  
Nodding to his brother he ducked down and around Chara. He used his magic to hold Chara in the air, “Give me Ryou’s Soul back!”  
She grinned, pulling the knife to her throat, “I think not.”  
Sans let her go and jumped back, “You’re playing dirty.” He grunted.  
She shrugged, “It’s a hobby.” She ran at him again, this time she managed to cut his jacket.  
He shoved her away, and jumped back. She continued her assault, her eyes dark and evil as she tried to cut him. He knocked her down again, then threw her into a pillar.

Darkness…so much darkness. Ryou stared into the void; her soul was drifting, painful waves rolled through her. She couldn’t hear anything or see anyone; it was a dark pit into nothingness wherever she looked.  
“Hello…?” She called. “S…Sans? Papyrus? Anybody?!”  
“Oh, hello.” Ryou turned to see a little boy, he had on a striped sweater…he looked like Toriel. “I’m Asriel, I…I didn’t know you were here.”  
“Where is…here?”  
“It’s where I’m trapped…I…I’m sorry, the me out there…Flowey, has done horrible things to you, hasn’t he?” Asriel murmured softly taking her hand. “I’m not like him…I’m not Flowey.”  
Ryou’s eyes widened, “You’ve been inside of Flowey? All this time?”  
He nodded reluctantly, “I’ve been living here without the ability to feel love, happiness, sadness…but somehow I feel hatred…malice, something else I can’t quite explain…it’s horrible. When I became Flowey, I had no control…nothing…I watched him befriend and kill everyone I loved.”  
“But it wasn’t you, you couldn’t control it.” She said patting his head.  
“I’ve been fighting him for a while…but it’s been hard. I feel weak, but then I met Frisk,” His face lit up. “She was…so nice to me. Nothing like Chara, she was kind and sweet, she saved everyone here in the underground…but…because the souls were freed, we were all forced to stay here. But you have the power to destroy the barrier. They want your friends dead so Flowey can destroy the barrier and rule over the surface.”  
“Oh god…I have to get out and warn everyone!” Ryou stared down at him, “Asriel, could you…tell me how to get out?”  
He looked sad, “You want to leave already?”  
She bit her lip, “Well…I don’t want to leave you here but…” She felt pain in her chest. “I have to get back to everyone.”  
Asriel reluctantly nodded, “I’ll show you.” It was as though a wall opened, and she could see out into the Judgement hall. There was destruction everywhere, “They are trying to free you, but Chara…she has your body.”  
Ryou could see Chara attacking Sans, she was really trying to kill him! Ryou ran and thrust herself against the wall, “SANS!” She cried out. “SANS DON’T FIGHT HER! RUN! RUN AWAY!”  
“He can’t hear you.” Asriel looked up at her, “You love him, don’t you?”  
She looked down at Asriel and nodded, “Yes…I love him.”  
Asriel nodded, “I loved Chara, he was someone I trusted, someone I cared about…but all he cared about was revenge. He killed himself so that I could take his soul…I couldn’t bring myself to hurt anyone so I fled home…I remember dying…then waking up a flower.”  
Ryou bit her lip but took him by the shoulders, “Asriel, I’m sorry you ended up this way, but I have to get back to my body, I have to!”  
“I can help you, I will have to somehow get Flowey to grab Chara, the contact should be enough to pull her soul out and push yours back in, like a…soul exchange?”  
Ryou nodded, “Okay, how do we get Flowey to attack her?”  
“I’ll have to project myself through Flowey.” He said touching the wall. The room they were in began to light up with color. “It’ll be a ride, hold onto something cause he’s not going to like this!”

Papyrus and Undyne were exhausted; their magic wouldn’t be useful if they didn’t start making headway soon. Flowey was still fighting them with brute force, he was laughing hysterically. Toriel and Asgore were looking beat up and exhausted, “If this keeps up much longer we’re all going to die!” Undyne shouted angrily, narrowly dodging a giant vine whizzing past her.   
Papyrus was panting heavily, “THIS IS REDICULOUS! HOW COULD HE HAVE SO MUCH POWER?”  
“Ryou’s soul isn’t as pathetic as I once thought!” She hissed.  
They slammed against one another back to back, holding off the vines that were attacking them, “TELL HER TO STOP IT!”  
“I would if it were her doing this!” Undyne grunted slicing into one of Flowey’s tentacles.  
The room suddenly shook, Flowey screamed, “What?! What is happening?!” He hissed. He began to shake violently, his screen flashed color and for a moment everyone saw Ryou slam her fist against the glass before Flowey’s face returned. “Stop it you idiot!” Flowey roared.  
“Ryou!” Undyne yelled.  
“SHE’S FIGHTING HIM FROM THE INSIDE!” Papyrus cried happily.  
Toriel smiled, “Come on dear!”  
Sans had Chara pinned against a pillar, “That’s my girl.” He chuckled and punched Chara to the floor. “She’s not giving up, she’s still alive.”  
The screen flashed again and everyone saw Ryou shouting something. Undyne grunted, “She’s saying something but…I can’t-“  
Toriel seemed to read it perfectly, “SANS! Throw Chara at Flowey!” Toriel yelled.  
In that split second, he tossed her as hard as he could. Flowey managed to catch her and the room lit up. Chara shrieked, “FLOWEY! YOU IDIOT!” 

Ryou cheered, “We did it! Lucky Toriel understood, huh?”  
Asriel smiled, “Frisk is mute, so reading lips and sign language are something she’s used to.” He giggled, then sighed and looked up at her. “You need to leave now, before your way out closes.”  
“Thank you…Asriel…” She said hugging him. “I promise, I’ll find a way to help you.”  
“We’ll meet again someday.” He smiled. “And I…hope it’ll be me by then.”  
She nodded and passed through the small opening in the wall, she was sucked into a vortex of color, bright flashing lights and streaks of colors. She felt calm, like she was riding through a wave of warm water. Without warning Chara’s soul ran into her, “SURPRISE!” She cackled. Before Ryou could react, her soul cracked.

Ryou returned to her body, but the wound on her soul became a visible gash. She felt the pain, it was too much she screamed. Flowey tossed her away, crashing her into the marble floor with a thud, “NO! MY POWER!” He shrieked. “NOOOO! STOP IT!” He began to wither away. “CHARA! YOU IDIOT!” He cried out as he became reduced to just a tiny flower, he shook violently as Undyne eyed him.  
Undyne walked up to him with a wide grin, “Oh I’m going to enjoy this!”  
“NO!” Ryou cried out.   
Flowey looked back in confusion, then fled. Undyne grunted and folded her arms, “Great…he got away…”  
Mettaton sighed, “Well, I think that went well.”  
Sans walked up to Ryou, “Are you…you?”  
“S…Sans…” She coughed out. His eyes widened.  
He fell to his knees and pulled her into his arms. “Oh thank god.”  
She was shaking, she could feel the blood dripping down her chest. She felt sick and dizzy, “Sans…I…I feel funny…” She mumbled into his chest.  
He pulled her back a bit and looked down. His eyes widened, a large amount of blood covered the front of his shirt. He looked down to see her losing consciousness. “Ryou?” He could see the bleeding gash on her chest. “Oh god…” He frantically pulled her scarf off and pushed it on the wound to stop the bleeding. “Ryou, stay with me okay? You’re…You’re going to be okay.” He began to panic, this wasn’t happening! Her eyes were dimming. “Ryou, look at me…” She looked around dazed for a moment. “Look at me baby…” He held her face to look but her eyes seemed to stare blankly past him. Fear began to seep in. He pulled her into his arms and held her head to his chest.   
“Sans…” Ryou whispered. “Are we going home..?”  
Sans was shaking, “Yeah…we’re going home. We’ll go home…Papyrus will make us some spaghetti and…we’ll all watch TV together…we’ll play in the snow again with Frisk…” He choked. “You and I can…go swimming again, would you like that?” He couldn’t hold in the sob that escaped his teeth.  
“I’d like that…” She murmured, her pink eyes were turning gray. “Sans…”   
Her grip on his jacket loosened and her hand fell into her lap. Sans looked over her, “Ryou..?” He shook her a bit. “Ryou?!” He shook her more. “No…No Ryou we’re…you can’t…” His tears were flowing from his face. “No…Oh god…” He cried out into her chest.  
“We beat those two like nothing!” Undyne said patting Papyrus’s back.  
“SURELY, BUT WHAT ABOUT…” He turned to find Sans holding Ryou, he was visibly trembling.  
“Oh no…” Undyne said. “Something’s wrong.”  
Papyrus ran to his brother, “SANS?”  
Sans turned, his eye was glowing and he growled, “GET AWAY FROM US!”  
Papyrus flinched back and stopped mid stride seeing the look in his brother’s eye, “SANS…WHY ISN’T RYOU GETTING UP?”  
Sans looked back to Ryou and continued to rock her in his arms, he was losing it. He was sobbing loudly now, he couldn’t hold it in.   
Toriel ran in, “Asgore, move Sans so I can check her.”  
Nodding at Toriel he rushed over and took Sans under his arms and pulled him up, “We need you to move so Toriel-“  
“NO! LET GO! LET ME GO! RYOU!” He was screaming at the top of his lungs, his eye was glowing brightly and he struggled to get back to the woman he loved.   
Toriel held a hand to her mouth, “Oh god…” She felt Ryou’s pulse, there was a faint beat.  
“Toriel…is she…” Undyne said looking down at Ryou’s limp body.  
“She’s…she’s alive but she won’t be much longer if we don’t get her help.” Toriel said pulling Ryou into her arms. “We have to get her help. We need Alphys.”  
Papyrus placed a hand on both sides of Sans’s face, “SANS, SANS LOOK AT ME.” Sans stared into his brother’s eyes, Papyrus could almost see the pain. “SHE’S NOT DEAD, WE HAVE TO GET HER TO ALPHYS.”  
Sans looked a little relieved, “She’s…?”  
“Sans, can you teleport us to Snowdin?” Toriel asked. “I need you to be as cooperative as possible.”  
He nodded, “Yes…” Asgore released him, he took Toriel’s hand in his.  
Like a flash they were in Snowdin, “Take Ryou to your house and I’ll get Alphys.”  
Sans did, he teleported them to their house and laid her down on the couch, “Help’s coming…” He whispered.  
He wiped her forehead with his sleeve, she looked dead but there were tiny rugged breaths pushing her chest. Before long Toriel and Alphys ran in, “I’m here!” Alphys rushed into the room. “Stand back and let me work.”  
An hour passed by, Toriel had taken Sans into the kitchen to keep an eye on him, “The other’s will be here shortly…how are you holding up?” She asked looking back at him. He looked like a mess, his eyes were hollow and the front of his shirt was still covered in blood.   
“The love of my life almost died…I’ll let you figure it out.” He hissed.  
She was almost surprised, Sans was never this angry or…anything beside his normal smiling self, even his fight with Chara was strange to her, but seeing him so angry…Toriel helped him out of his chair and pushed him to the stairs, “Go have a shower Sans, I’ll keep an eye on things here.” He walked up without answering her. She waited until the bathroom door closed to check on Alphys, “How’s it looking?”  
Alphys wiped her brow, “I managed to stabilize her, you’re lucky you got me to her when you did. If it wasn’t for her determination she wouldn’t be here.” Alphys said with a smile. “She’ll be fine in a week or so.”  
Toriel nodded, “Thank you, anything we can do to help her?”  
Alphys nodded, “She needs rest, so...I-I would keep her in Sans’s room since it’s so familiar to her.” Alphys turned to Ryou, “If anything changes, let me know.” She packed up her supplies and waved as she left the house.  
Toriel held Ryou’s hand, “Oh my dear…you really scared us.”   
Ryou didn’t move. Toriel frowned, but knew that she would wake up in time. Before long Sans walked out of the bathroom in a black hoodie and saw that Alphys was gone, “Is she…”  
“She’s sleeping Sans.” Toriel said looking to Ryou. “She’ll be resting, her wound was bad…but Alphys managed to close it and gave her something to help with the loss of blood. She will wake up soon enough.”  
Sans nodded, “Should we move her to my room?”  
Toriel nodded, “Yes.”  
Sans picked her up and carried her up the stairs, when he got her into the room he placed her on the bed. She was pale, bruised, and cut up but alive, “I really thought…you were…” He felt tears welling in his eyes and he held her hand. Before long he left her side to grab a chair from the kitchen and pulled it to his room. He placed it next to the bed so he could sit and hold her hand. He watched her for a while until he heard everyone enter the house.


	14. Little Something For You Guys

Hey guys, so...haha, I'm sorry if the paragraphs are mushed together, honestly I'm still trying to figure out how to use the website...I literally spent 20 minutes trying to figure out how to change my Icon lol  
I was wondering how everyone was liking this story so far, honestly it was going to be a test to see how to format everything but honestly I think I'm a little attached to this story XD  
Some things I was wondering:  
Any ideas for a chapter? I love hearing other people's ideas and opinions it helps a lot <3  
You all have a choice: Kill Flowey or find a way to save Asriel  
If you pick to Save Asriel, how do you guys think I should?  
Anybody have an issue with Ryou's upcoming outfit change? *Future Sans*'s hoodie was ripped and torn during their battle with Flowey and Chara...I was thinking of a Pink hoodie with jean shorts and her original white cut off shirt. Her boots will remain the same <3 Socks instead of stockings?  
Anyway! Thank you for all your support so far!

Oh! I forgot, I am going back an editing things that might have contradicted itself or may not have made...a whole lot of sense. LOL honestly I read through from beginning to end and was so embarrassed of the mistakes I ran over it again just to adjust them XD SO! If I find little problems in the story I will be going through and fixing them because, well, seriously how unprofessional! (Says the one writing fanfiction for fun XD) <3


	15. Meeting a Father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SO! Yay for return of Gaster! (apologies for the late update!!)  
> ^^;; Hooray...<3

Ryou opened her eyes; she was lying against something familiar. She felt…smaller, like she had shrunk down a few sizes. She could smell firewood burning in the fireplace, she could smell dinner in the kitchen…she could feel her mother’s hand gently passing over her hair. Ryou looked up to see her mother smiling down at her.   
“M-Mom?”  
“I’m glad to see you’ve woken up dear.” She said soothingly as she gently caressed Ryou’s cheek. Fear shot through her, she took ahold of her mother’s hand but noticed her own hands were smaller, a child’s weak grip.  
She stared at her hands, “M…Mom, what’s going on?”  
“You fell asleep, I thought since dinner would be a while I would let you rest here with me.” She giggled a bit. “I need to check on dinner, your father will be home soon.” She said moving Ryou gently away as she stood up and walked to the kitchen to finish cooking.  
“D-Dad?” Ryou’s heart fluttered. “But…I thought you didn’t…” She felt horribly confused. Wait…Sans! Where was Sans? She walked into the kitchen slowly, “Mom, where’s Sans?” She felt something aching in her chest as she spoke. Nothing about this was right.  
Her mother looked down at her questioningly, “Sans? Who is Sans?”  
Ryou’s eyes teared up as fear jolted through her, “Where’s Sans? And Papyrus? Asgore? T-Toriel?...Undyne and Alphys?!” She was getting desperate to know now.   
“Oh! You mean your little toys, their upstairs on your bed hon. Hurry and wash up before your father comes in.” Her mother patted her head. “We don’t want you looking like a mess, would we?”  
Ryou turned and ran to her room. She flung the door open with enough force to dent the wall as she ran in, there on her bed sat six stuffed characters she recognized, “No…” She picked up the one of Sans and her heart twisted. “Sans?” She fell to her knees. “What the hell is going on?!”   
Ryou grit her teeth and she held up her hand to the wall, “GASTER BLASTER!” She yelled. But nothing happened. She stared at her hands, “My magic is…no…” She held a hand to her head. “NO!” She ran to the bathroom and began to splash water on her face. “Wake up…WAKE UP!” She demanded. She glanced in the mirror and she felt her stomach churn. Her eyes…were a normal soft blue, human. She began to cry, “M-My eyes…what happened to my eyes?!” She needed to leave, she needed to get back to the underground! She ran from the bathroom and down the stairs at top speed. She grabbed the front door and flung it open to find a man dressed in a lab coat, in his hand rested a brown brief case.  
“Ryou, oh gosh you surprised me.” He chuckled.  
She stared at the man, he had shaggy black hair and soft brown eyes. His wide happy smile made her back away, he looked familiar. Without thinking she spoke, “G-Gaster?”  
His eyes widened, “Honey, didn’t we tell you it’s not polite to call me that?” He chuckled. “I’m your dad, not a stranger.”  
“Well if you would come up from the lab more often she wouldn’t have to feel that way.” Ryou’s mother laughed as she came in to greet him. They kissed and hugged one another before he turned his attention back to Ryou. She felt so small, like a child again.  
Gaster held out his arms, “Come here and give me a hug?”  
Ryou felt tears running down her face, she felt something in her longing to do so, but something about all of this was so out of place, “Why am I here? What did you do to me? My magic? WHAT DID YOU DO TO SANS?!”  
Gaster seemed to sober at this thought, “Oh Ryou…” He pulled her in to embrace her. “I…thought this was something you wanted. A normal family, a normal life? A normal father…” He chuckled. Time seemed to stop in the room, her mother was frozen in place, “I cannot give that to you…because I am not human like you and your mother.” He said with a sigh. “I…can talk to you like this, normally I mean, without the…scattered pixels of matter that is my body and voice now.”  
Ryou shook her head, “You really are my dad…”  
He nodded, “I’m sorry for scaring you before, I…I was so eager to meet my daughter I got a little carried away.”  
Ryou pulled away, “I have so many questions…”  
He nodded, “I am happy to answer all of them.”  
She thought hard, “Why did you let us go?”  
He seemed to ponder her question, “I was…I was so afraid Asgore would discover you both I couldn’t bear to risk it. Listen, I do not regret it, but I…” He touched her cheek. “I do wish I could’ve watched my child grow...or been there when my wife died. I wished to be there for you to protect you like a father should…but I cannot give you those things because I am physically trapped in between dimensions…I can only be here for you in your mind, but even this form takes much effort.”  
Ryou nodded, “It’s good to know you still care.” She smiled at him.  
“I loved you both very…very much.” He smiled back at her. “I still do.”  
She blushed, “Dad…” She tested the word on her tongue and felt her heart flutter. “I wanted to ask about Sans.”  
Gaster chuckled, “Ah yes, my prodigy student, comical and lazy, but a hard worker when he put his heart into it…or well, you know what I mean.” He laughed. “What do you wish to know?”  
“He…remembers you fondly. He misses you a lot.” Ryou said with a small smile. “I wanted to tell you I…fell in love with him.”  
Gaster’s features were bright, “I’m happy for you both, I only want you to be happy. But I have to ask, are you able to put up with his puns? I mean, he’s a great guy but he can really PUNish the ears from time to time.”  
Ryou snorted, “Oh god I see where he got that from. But…my question for you is,” She bit her lip. “Is there a way for Sans to bring you back?”  
Gaster hesitated before speaking, taking her by the shoulders he spoke, “I wish I could, but no. I have melded with time itself Ryou…I cannot come back to the plains of your timeline, or any other. Do not let him try, time is fragile and if he tries to bring me back…” Gaster shook his head. “He’ll end up like me or worse, he may cause a tear in the timeline.”  
Ryou bit her lip, “So…you brought me to my old home? But you…you don’t know what it…”  
“I used some of your memories and implemented a few to add myself in where I should have been.” He chuckled softly. “I’m sure looking human was strange for you, it is for me.” He laughed.  
She smiled, “I like my eyes…my real eyes.” She blushed and looked away, ‘how can I sleep lookin at you…with those lovestruck pink eyes of yours…’ Ryou shivered a moment at the memory. “Sans likes my eyes, I like my eyes...I like being a monster, I love using magic and teleporting…I love being me.”  
Gaster smiled wide, he looked proud, “Ryou…I couldn’t be more proud to hear you say that.” He pat her head. “Your love for your friends is strong, you are strong. Ryou, are you willing to wake up and face the world again?”  
Ryou touched her chest, “Will I get to see you again?”  
He nodded, “In your dreams we can talk…but physically, the possibility of you being able to understand me are very…slim. You can understand me now because I am using a lot of my power to let you, but out there I cannot maintain a physical form for very long.”  
“I would love to chat with you like this…again.” She smiled shyly at him.  
“Ah, if only your mother could see how grown up you’ve gotten.” He sighed happily, but his eyes were full of sadness. “I’ll send you back…please, beware of Chara and Flowey, alright? Asriel may be inside him, but Flowey is dangerous and still is, even after such a defeat he will do anything to make sure you pay for it.”  
Ryou shook her head, “I know he is…but…”  
“Ryou, Asriel is a part of Flowey…I know how you feel but-“ He sighed. “My sweet daughter, I know you feel like you have to take the weight of the world on your shoulders to make sure everyone is saved…but you cannot save everyone.”  
“I can! I can do it! I know I can…I have to; he saved me from Flowey and Chara. That is enough a reason to save him!” Her fists were clenched and she had hot tears running down her face. “I will do anything to make sure I save everyone…”  
Gaster smiled, he pulled her in for another hug, “You are my daughter, so determined to fight until it’s won. I will be watching over you.” She looked up to see he had reverted back to his original form. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but I am losing too much energy to continue keeping this all intact.”  
Ryou watched as the world around her faded away until they were standing in utter darkness, “I will tell Sans to keep away from the time machine, I promise.” She giggled. “I…I will talk to you again soon.”  
Gaster’s voice became almost inaudible, he signed to her, “I love you, stay safe.”  
Ryou nodded, “Thank you…dad…”   
She closed her eyes; the room began to spin rapidly. Sound began to silence itself as she was whipped back into her consciousness with force. She felt the dull ache of her wound on her chest as she stirred, but seemed to be unable to move her arms. She used force to make her eyes open, blurry shapes were all she could see. She managed to move then, her head turned a bit to look towards the lamp in the room and she could see someone sitting in a chair beside her. As her eyes adjusted she could see Sans, his knees were against his chest and his face was buried in the arms of his sweater. Once she could see clearly, she noticed he was shaking softly.   
Forcing herself to find her voice she opened her mouth, “Sans…” She whispered out. He didn’t seem to hear her so she used more force. “Sans.”  
He looked up slowly to look her in the eye. She felt something in her stomach knot, his eyes were full of tears and he looked exhausted, his eyes widened and he practically shot into bed with her, “Oh god, you’re awake!” He cried happily taking her hand. He looked unable to contain himself as tears seemed to overflow over his joyous smile. “I thought…for sure you weren’t going to ever wake up.” He choked out.  
She forced herself to move her arm, though it was absurdly heavier than she remembered she forced her hand to his cheek, “I’m…right here.” She smiled weakly.   
He nodded, “I was so worried, you…you haven’t moved at all since we got you home.”  
“How long…” She felt her energy slowly coming back.  
He thought back, “Almost a week…you’ve been in a coma.”  
“Oh god…” She turned her head away. She had been inside talking to Gaster…for a week? “I’m so sorry Sans.” She turned back to look at him. “I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that.”  
He shook his head and cleared his throat, “As long as you are alright Ryou I don’t care…I would’ve waited here forever.”  
She felt love swell in her heart, “How long have you been keeping yourself awake?”  
He blushed, “Uh…well, I haven’t slept much.” He looked away. “I haven’t slept in three days.”  
Ryou forced herself up, then cried out in pain as the searing ache in her chest shot through her. She fell back against her pillow. Sans looked panicked, “D-Don’t get up! Your wound isn’t fully healed, you need to relax.”   
She shook her head, “Get your boney booty in this bed right now.”   
He looked away and chuckled, “Look…I…I don’t think-“  
“GET.IN.BED.NOW.” She said sternly.  
He got up and crawled into the bed next to her, “Okay, I’m here.” He said looking at her with a small smile.   
She nodded, “Now sleep.”  
He shifted a moment, “I…I don’t want to.”  
She glared at him, “You have two seconds before I get outta bed and grab something to put you to sleep with.”  
“Come on…you just woke up! How could I sleep when…” He blushed as she smiled softly at him. “Sans, nothing is going to happen to me if you fall asleep.”  
“I can’t trust falling asleep…I’m afraid I’ll wake up and you’ll still be laying here looking lifeless.” He murmured averting his eyes.   
“I promise you Sans, I will be right here when you wake up.” She caressed his cheek. “I need you to be functional tomorrow.”  
He raised a brow, “Functional?”  
She nodded, “I’m getting outta bed tomorrow and doing something besides relax.”  
He chuckled and sighed, “I don’t have a choice do I?”  
She shook her head, “Nope.” She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and watched as his eyes drifted shut. Within only a few moments he was snoring softly next to her, she giggled to herself and closed her eyes, tomorrow she was going to make food and show her friends she was alive.

Ryou woke up the next morning with a bit of pain in her chest. She looked over herself, she was wearing one of Sans’s shirts. She moved the collar to stare inside. There, imprinted in her pale skin was an ugly scar starting to form. She huffed, “Great…thanks Chara.” She grumbled sarcastically as she began to stretch. The popping of her joints and bones seemed to almost startle Sans awake, he looked around sleepily and yawned. She grinned, “Good morning.”  
His eyes widened, “You’re awake!” He paused. “Wait…you woke up last night…” He held a hand to his head. “Sorry, I would’ve-“  
“No apologies Sans, I feel awake and great, well, aside from a dull ache from my wound.” She laughed.  
He nodded, “Need anything for the pain?”  
“Food?” She smiled widely.  
He chuckled softly, “I would assume you are starving, anything in particular?”  
Pondering what she wanted she made up her mind, “Spaghetti.”  
Sans stared at her, he looked almost surprised, “O-Oh, okay. I would’ve thought…you know, something for breakfast or…something.”  
“Spaghetti.” She repeated smiling wide at him.  
“Alright, my girl wants spaghetti for breakfast I won’t deny her.” He chuckled as he went to get out of bed.   
“Sans?”  
“Hmm?” He turned to look at her. He stiffened as her lips pressed softly to his mouth; a tingling sensation ran through both of them. Ryou blushed as they parted, Sans could only stare into her eyes.   
“I love you.” She gave him a closed eye smile and earned herself another kiss.  
He seemed to not want to let her go but forced himself to part from her, “I love you too. Now, I’m going down to make your food, you want to…come downstairs?”  
She nodded, “Yes please.”  
He placed an arm under her knees and another around her shoulders until he was holding her bridal style. He carried her out of the room and down into the living room where there appeared to be a sleep over in the making. Toriel, Frisk, and Papyrus were asleep side by side, Undyne had Alphys next to her on the couch.  
Undyne’s eyes shot to Sans and Ryou and she practically lept from her spot, “RYOU!”  
Toriel jolted awake, “Huh? Did something happen?” She looked around until her eyes met Ryou in Sans’s arms. “Oh my child you are awake!” She shot up to hug her but hesitated. “How are you feeling?”  
Ryou blushed, “Better.”  
Papyrus groaned, “WHAT’S HAPPENING?”   
“Get up you bone-head! Ryou’s awake!” Undyne cheered.  
Papyrus rubbed his eyes, “WOWIE! YOU SURE SLEPT A LONG TIME! I HOPE ARE NOT IN PAIN I PRESUME?”  
Ryou nodded, “I’m alright guys, thank you.”  
Sans rolled his eyes and set Ryou on the couch, “You stay here and I’ll get started on the food.” He said and gave her a peck on the top of her head before he walked into the kitchen, Papyrus at his heels.  
“YOU’RE COOKING? CAN I HELP?” Papyrus asked as he disappeared into the kitchen.  
Alphys was yawning and starting to wake up, “Ryou, oh g-gosh you really gave everyone a scare.”  
Toriel nodded, “Sans was just beside himself the whole time too…” She looked to the kitchen. “He refused to leave your side unless he absolutely needed to. He refused to eat or sleep too.”  
“Yeah, he was more upset than I’ve ever seen him.” Undyne said sitting between Ryou and Alphys. “We almost had to drag him away from you when we were in the judgement hall…god I’ve ever seen him like that.”  
“Asgore had to hold him back so Toriel could check to make sure you were still…a-alive. Sans was kicking and screaming the whole time.” Alphys said looking at Undyne.  
Ryou felt her heart flutter, “He was…that upset?”  
“Upset? No, he went a little insane. He e-even lashed out at Papyrus.” Alphys said shaking her head.   
Ryou looked to the kitchen to see Sans and Papyrus smiling at one another as they cooked. Ryou looked down at Frisk who was still sleeping, “Oh Sans…” She murmured.  
Undyne looked at Ryou’s chest, “Can I see it?”  
Ryou blushed, “Sure.” She lifted her shirt and revealed the jagged scar forming just over her heart.   
“So sick! Dude, that must’ve hurt.” Undyne laughed.  
Ryou blushed and pulled her shirt down, “It hurts a bit now but I’ll live.” She peeked back to the kitchen again and smiled, “I’ll live…”


	16. Bonus Short: Gaster and Sans (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SO! I got a request from a few of my friends and readers to do a little something while I fight off my writers block on the main story. I began to write this as a little something to entertain you until the next chapter has been done!   
> Enjoy <3 (I'm so sorry it's late)

It had been a while since their father had passed away. Papyrus was in school now, which gave Sans time to himself. He was happy to have time to relax. Walking through Hotland he had only been there to deliver a parcel to the Royal scientist, as was one of his odd jobs to keep himself and Papyrus on their feet. He hated not having a stable place to live, he wanted to give his younger brother everything he wanted…and wanted to be the one to give that to him.  
Upon walking into the lab he noticed all of the papers scattered around the room. He walked in slower and slower, “H-Hello?” He called out. But there wasn’t an answer. He walked around, “I uh…need someone to sign for this!” He called out again.  
There was a rustle of papers which immediately caught Sans’s attention. Looking up he saw someone standing in front of a whiteboard with a complex amount of numbers written on it. He recognized the formula. Walking up to the man he set the parcel down, “There’s a number wrong in there.”  
The Skeleton at the board looked down at Sans, obviously intrigued, “Where?” He asked turning his attention back to the board and reading it over. Sans took up one of the markers and erased the number, placing the correct one. Once he did the skeleton gasped and began to calculate. Without hesitation, Sans wrote the answer at the bottom. “Oh my, looks like you know you’re formulas.” He chuckled.  
Sans blushed at the compliment, “Heh…I know a thing or two.”  
He looked down at the parcel on the desk and smiled, “Ah, you must be my delivery boy then,” He chuckled. “Thank you for your help…ah…”  
“Sans…sir.” Sans said giving the Skeleton a nervous smile.  
“Sans…” The skeleton gave him a happy smile. “I am W.D. Gaster, Royal Scientist.” He bowed a little. “I have been trying to figure out what went wrong with this formula for a few days, turned out to be a simple number.” He laughed.   
Sans chuckled, “Sorry if I got in your way.”  
Gaster looked surprised, “Not at all, you look like a smart kid. I have to ask, how did you figure that out so quickly?”  
Sans fidgeted a moment before answering, “I um…I’ve been studying Quantum Physics for a while now. Science and time travel have always been interesting to me, unfortunately I can’t make enough money to go to college while I take care of my little brother.”  
“Your parents must be trying to help you, no?” Gaster watched the life drain from Sans’s features. “Oh…I see.” He said with a quick nod of his head. “Hmm…I wonder…”  
Sans looked to the door, “Listen…you can sign for the package and I’ll get out of your way. I’m sure you don’t need some kid bothering ya.”   
Gaster put a hand on Sans’s shoulder, “I think I have a better idea.” He walked away for a moment to come back with what looked like a white lab coat, one that matched his. “Put this on a moment.”  
Sans raised a brow at Gaster but took the coat. Slipping it on, it was a little big on him, but it felt right, “Wow, I’ve never tried one on before.” He murmured in awe.  
Gaster smiled, “Well if you like it that much, why don’t I let you keep it?”  
Sans’s eyes widened, “O-Oh no I…”  
“As a matter of fact,” Gaster pondered a moment. “I would like to offer you a job, as my lab assistant of course.” He chuckled.  
Sans stared at Gaster, his eyes wide and his mouth agape, “R-Really?”  
Gaster nodded, “Be back here tomorrow morning, I think you and I will get much accomplished together.” He pat Sans on the head then took the clip board from him. “I almost forgot to sign for this.” Once it was signed he handed it back to Sans who looked ready to explode. “I hope you’re excited.”  
Sans nodded, “I-I am! I will be back here first thing!” He took off running, waving back at Gaster before disappearing out of the lab.  
That evening Sans had gone to Grillbyz, using his money from the delivery to pick up dinner for him and Papyrus. They were staying at the Inn for free of charge, the woman who ran it was so sweet. Upon entering the room Sans could see Papyrus sitting on the couch watching something on the TV. Sans could see it was some strange cartoon, but didn’t bother watching it for long.  
“Papyrus, dinner’s here.” Sans said to his brother who looked up at him with a smile.  
“YAY!” Papyrus giggled and jumped off the couch. He ran up to Sans to hug him when he noticed the white lab coat. “SANS? WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?”  
Sans looked down then blushed, “Oh…right. I um…got a new job!”  
Papyrus looked up at Sans with an almost angry look, “YOU PROMISED ME YOU WOULDN’T GET ANOTHER ONE.”  
Sans nodded and pat his fussy brother’s head, “Don’t worry Papyrus, with the money we’re going to be getting from this new job, I’ll be able to buy us a house with our own room, our own kitchen…our own TV…Papyrus?” Sans asked looking into the teary eyes of his little brother. “Are you alright?”  
Papyrus sniffled and wiped his eyes, “YOU PROMISED…”  
Sans rubbed the back of his head, “I know buddy…but this…this job will pay me really well! I can even afford to get you that comic you wanted.”  
Papyrus looked at his brother with a small sparkle in his eyes, “Really?”  
Sans smiled and nodded, “Okay, your comic book will be the very first thing I get ya.” He knelt down to hug his brother. “Come on, our food’s getting cold.”

After taking Papyrus to school Sans raced to Hotland, eager to get to his first day on the job. Walking into the lab Sans pulled his lab coat on and buttoned it. Out of nowhere Gaster appeared beside him, “Good morning Sans, I hope you’re as eager as I am.” Gaster chuckled then walked in front of Sans to pin something to his coat.   
Looking down Sans realized it was his own badge, his name was written on it in big black letters. He gave Gaster an eager smile, “T-Thank you!”  
“Let’s get to work then.” Gaster said giving Sans an assuring pat on the shoulder. “There is much to be done.”  
Sans spent the next few hours poring over formulas and notes. Once he had a grasp on what was being done, Gaster showed him around the lab. He explained how everything worked, from how it was created to how it functioned. Sans took notes happily as Gaster tugged him along. After a few stops Sans was led through to a room with a strange machine hanging from its ceiling.  
“What is that?” Sans asked looking up in awe.  
Gaster looked away, his face seemed pained, “That is a soul extractor.”  
Sans nodded, “It takes the souls out from humans…right?” Sans had yet to tell Gaster of his hatred for humans.  
Gaster nodded, “Y…Yes. I do not wish to linger in this room.” He said dragging Sans into the next room. “I am sorry Sans, that room is…I do not wish to use it.”  
Sans raised a brow, “Why? Doesn’t Asgore need the souls?”  
Gaster stiffened, “Y-Yes, but…” Gaster looked to Sans and sighed. “I…do not wish to hurt them.”  
“Why? Their evil, vile creatures…” Sans grunted. “They suck! They take things away, things that can’t be given back..!” He stopped at the look in Gaster’s eyes. “One…took our dad away…” Sans whispered.  
Gaster knelt down and took Sans by the shoulders, “Listen to me, where there is good, there is bad. But not all things that seem bad are bad…some humans are good, kind, and gentle.” Gaster was blushing a bit; he cleared his throat and straightened. “We’ll get back to that later, right now we should finish the tour, yes?”  
Sans nodded, “I’m sorry, that was rude of me.”  
“No need to let it get under your skin.” Gaster chuckled.  
Sans’s eyes sparkled, “I just don’t have the guts to disagree.”  
Gaster smirked, “I think you’re going to do just fine here tibia-nest.”  
“Ha! That was clever.” Sans laughed.  
“I have a skele-ton more.” Gaster folded his arms with a smile.  
Sans felt something in his chest become lighter, “I hope they’re humerus.”   
Gaster laughed, “I’m glad you’re excited to hear more.”

A week passed by, Sans had learned many things, even learned a thing or two about Gaster. They became fast friends, but whenever Sans asked about humans, Gaster seemed to get embarrassed. Sans couldn’t understand why he seemed to like them. What was there to like?   
Sans walked into the lab an hour early to see if Gaster wanted to grab a bite to eat before work started. He yawned a little as he turned the lights on, “Hey Doc, you here?”  
There was a scuffle and Sans looked over to see someone standing before him. Her bright blue eyes stared back at him, her hair hung in thick black curls over her shoulders and her lips were parted as if she were in shock. Sans quickly pieced together what she was. He used his magic to whip her down to the ground, “GASTER! PLEASE TELL ME YOU’RE STILL ALIVE!” Sans shouted, his chest was tight in fear.  
The woman just squirmed under his magic, she looked…so harmless. She didn’t look as evil as the other human he had seen, she looked…beautiful.  
“S-Sans! Let her go!” Gaster ran in trying to shield the woman. “Stop!”  
Sans let her go, his hands were shaking, “Gaster…she’s…she’s human…” He whispered in horror.  
Gaster had the woman’s face buried in his chest, she was shaking. Gaster pet her head soft, “There now love, are you alright?”  
She nodded, “He just surprised me…”   
“I thought…humans were to be killed and their souls harvested to give to Asgore.” Sans said, confusion was spread over his face.  
“That is true but…this isn’t just any human, Sans.” Gaster said and helped the woman to her feet. “This is my wife.”  
Sans felt like the world around him shook with the news, “Y-Your wife?”  
“I’m Vivienne.” She gave him a shy smile.  
Sans cleared his throat, “I’m uh…Sans.”  
She smiled brightly, “Gaster told me all about you, you’re so young too.”  
Sans let out an annoyed sigh, “I’m nineteen.”  
Gaster laughed, “Youngest scientist I’ve ever had working for me. He’s very smart, and he even does puns.”  
Vivienne groaned, “Oh god Gaster please don’t start that again.”  
He chuckled and took her hand, “Alright alright.” He shrugged and hugged her. She giggled and hugged him back. “Hurry back to bed with you.” He chuckled and nudged her to their room.  
Sans stood and watched as she disappeared into the next room, “Gaster…”  
“I’m sure you’re curious about why she’s here…” He sighed.  
Sans nodded, “Humans are dangerous, why would you MARRY one?”  
Gaster fiddled with his hands, “I…well I met her when she fell down here three years ago. We fell in love almost immediately.” He blushed and laughed at the look of disgust on Sans’s face. “Human’s aren’t all bad, though, they have mood swings and can get mad, but Vivienne…” He sighed happily. “She’s gentle, wouldn’t hurt a fly.”  
“A…Are you hearing yourself?” Sans asked rubbing a hand on the back of his head. “I don’t trust her, Gaster.”  
Gaster nodded, “You don’t trust humans Sans, but…” He tapped afoot. “I think if you got to know one, you would see they aren’t all bad.”  
Sans glared at the floor, “Now that’s a stretch.”  
Gaster seemed surprised, “Sans, look at me.”  
Sans glanced up at Gaster, surprised to see how serious Gaster was, “You are not to breathe a word of Vivienne’s existence to anyone. Do you understand?” There was something almost threatening in his voice.  
Sans gave in with a sigh, “Alright doc,” He gave Gaster a smile. “I guess…she was kind of pretty.” He blushed and glared at the floor again. “Don’t…tell her I said that, please.”  
Gaster chuckled, “Alright then, I have isolated the problem of our last formula, and I managed to fix it.” He pulled up some blue prints. “I spent most of the night making these.”  
Sans took the paper, “G-Gaster…is this..?” Sans’s eyes twinkled. “This is a time machine!”  
“Yes it is. You, Sans, are going to help me build it.” Gaster winked.  
Sans bubbled, “I can’t believe it! I can’t wait to build this baby!”  
Gaster nodded, “It will take a lot of time for the parts to be made, so right now we should prepare the rest of these blueprints.”  
A few hours ticked by and Vivienne walked into the lab. She had a plate of food and drinks on a tray; she walked in and set the down on Gaster’s desk, “I thought you guys might be hungry.” She gave Sans a sweet smile, he blushed and looked away with a slight glare.  
“Thank you love, that was more than kind.” He pat Sans on the shoulder. “Right, Sans?”  
Sans cleared his throat, “T-Thank you.” He glanced up at her, only to widen his eyes as she had made her way to stand in front of him. She knelt down and hugged him, her body felt soft and warm against his.   
“You’re very welcome dear.” She said happily. Sans looked up at Gaster. Gaster smiled down at him and winked. When she pulled back she stood and wrapped her arms around Gaster, “Enjoy.” She kissed him softly, gave him a little squeeze and walked back up the stairs.   
Sans felt like someone had slapped him in the face then kissed him, he felt…different, “Are all humans…so warm?”  
Gaster laughed, “Yes, humans are strange. But once you’ve gotten the chance to study one…” He blushed a bit and turned back to his blueprints. “Maybe one day you’ll meet a human of your own.”  
Sans rolled his eyes, “I highly doubt that.”

It had been a month since he and Gaster began to work together, Sans had bought a house in Snowdin. It was perfect, right near Grillbyz, and it was close to the River man so he could get to work. He brought Papyrus to the house.  
“You think this house is a good one?” Sans asked his brother.  
Papyrus’s eyes were wide and his smile was wider, “IT’S AMAZING..!” But there was a hint of sadness in his voice.  
Sans picked up on his brother’s sadness and chuckled, “Hey bro, why don’t you go up to the door.”  
Papyrus walked up and waited for something to happen. That’s when he heard it, “Knock knock.”  
Papyrus giggled, “WHO’S THERE?”  
“Welcome.”  
“W…WELCOME WHO?”  
The door opened, and Sans was standing inside, “Welcome home bro.”  
Papyrus looked behind him to see nobody there, he looked back at Sans with a wide smile and tear in his eyes, “IT’S…OURS?”  
Sans nodded, “Come inside.”  
Papyrus ran in without hesitation. The house had been refurnished, a new couch, Television, tables, chairs, even some pictures of them were hung up on the wall. Papyrus jumped up and down, “WHERE’S MY ROOM?”  
Sans chuckled, “Follow me.” He took his brother’s hand and led him up to the first door. Papyrus walked in to see his room. He had a red racecar bed, a bookshelf with many different kinds of book on it, and a toy box against the wall. On the bed’s pillow lay two books, peek-a-boo with fluffy bunny and the comic Papyrus wanted. Sans watched his brother race around the room until he was panting. “So…you like it?”  
Papyrus nodded and wiped his eyes, “I LOVE IT!”  
Sans felt tears tugging in his eyes, “I’m so glad bro.”

Sans walked into work the next morning to see Gaster running around the lab in a state of panic. Sans coughed to get his attention but Gaster continued rushing around. “Uh…morning Doc, what’s uh…what’s all this about?” Sans gestured to Gaster.  
Gaster froze, “Ah…S-Sans, I didn’t see you there.” His eyes looked a little void.  
Sans coughed and smiled, “Well um…tell me what’s up? You look ready to pop.”  
Gaster let out a breathless chuckle and rubbed a hand over his face, “My wife, Sans…” He shook his head, but the biggest smile appeared. “I’m going to be a dad.”  
Sans felt his stomach drop, “W-What?”  
“I found out this morning.” He put a hand to his face and sighed happily. “She’s ill this morning but…I couldn’t be happier to know why.” He chuckled.  
Sans could feel something crawling on his back, something heavy and almost painful, “That’s great Gaster b-but…” Sans shifted. “Isn’t this really dangerous?”  
“Sans,” He looked back at his room and took a deep breath. “I have…weighed my options, and I will have to do the unthinkable if things go south.” Gaster said looking Sans dead in the eye. Something about the look Gaster gave him sent a chill of fear up his spine. “If it comes down to it…would you help me?”  
Sans nodded slowly, “V-Vivienne is…a nice human.” Sans said shoving his hands into his pocket and sighed. He put on a smile, “I would go to the ends of the earth for ya, Gaster.”  
Gaster put a hand on Sans’s shoulder, “You’ve been more than helpful here Sans, I really do appreciate your hard work and…you having to put up with my puns and jokes all day.”  
Sans laughed, “Come on now, you’re a pun master, Doc. I’m more than happy for some new material.”  
Gaster laughed, “Alright, let’s get started, shall we? I should mention, the metal and parts we need are coming soon, Asgore pushed me through to have them delivered early.”  
“Alright! I can’t wait to try this thing out!” Sans cheered. “It’s going to be so cool!”  
“Calm yourself Sans, I said early, not tomorrow. It could be a few months.” Gaster chuckled.  
Sans calmed, but his smile stayed, “I can’t wait.”

A few weeks passed by, the blueprints were finished and Gaster pondered what their next course of action should be. That’s when he made a quick decision, “Sans, would you like to join me for a short walk to Waterfall?”  
Sans looked up from his notes, “Oh, sure.” He put his notebook down and followed Gaster to the ferry. Once they arrived, Gaster took Sans towards Snowdin, but stopped at one of the waterfalls. Without hesitation he walked up to it and a door opened.  
“Follow me.” Gaster said entering the room.  
Sans didn’t hesitate, following Gaster into the room, “So what did you want to show me Gaster, an empty room?” Sans chuckled.  
Gaster turned to Sans and shook his head, “No Sans, I wanted to teach you something.” He took a deep breath, a purple mist took over his eyes and his normal white pupils became a deep glowing purple. Sans fell back in surprise as a large skeletal looking head phased in beside him, it was silver. Gaster turned to it and began to pet it softly. “This is my signature attack; I call it a Gaster Blaster.”  
Sans stared at it in awe, “That’s so cool!” Sans managed to stand. “What does it do?”  
Gaster chuckled. He aimed the blaster at the cave wall, “I will demonstrate.” Sans watched as the air in the room stilled a moment, all of the mist emanating from Gaster accumulated inside the gaping maw of the creatures head before letting loose a devastating blast of shining light. Sans watched as most of the cave was cleared and a hole was left in its wall. As the tremor of the blast and the audible explosion settled, Gaster turned to Sans with a smile. “That is why I brought you out here Sans, to see if I could teach you this ability.”  
“Oh my god…” Sans nodded eagerly, “I’m ready when you are!”


	17. Bonus Short: Gaster and Sans (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh god I was uh...in tears there for a while trying to write this lol
> 
> Also! I'm pasting an image I did on Microsoft paint of Ryou using Gaster blaster...I don't own a drawing tablet so it's all sorta...messy but it was fun to draw :'3  
> http://s1074.photobucket.com/user/FantasySpicesPhotos/media/Gaster%20Blaster_zpsdcwxiayb.png.html?o=0

Sans took a week but had manifested a Gaster blaster. It was a good attempt but Sans knew with practice he would be able to get it. Gaster watched Sans’s progress, “You are doing very well, good form but you need to really feel the energy.”  
Sans nodded, both of his eyes glowed and he pushed his energy to wrap around himself, the blaster let out a shriek and exploded. Sans went flying back at Gaster, knocking them to the ground with a loud thud. Sans groaned, “Ow…”  
Without a moment wasted Gaster was looking over Sans frantically, “Are you alright? You’re not hurt? Are you missing any limbs?”  
Sans chuckled, “I’m okay…” Blood dripped off his skull and he felt it. Placing a hand to his head he pulled his fingers over a small crack. Sans looked at his hand and his eyes widened. “I…oh jeez…”  
Gaster took a handkerchief from his pocket and held it to Sans’s wound gently, “I’m sorry, I should’ve warned you that if your energy gets too centered it will explode.” Gaster dabbed the blood away and gave Sans a worried look. “I should get you back to the lab and get this healed.”  
Sans stared at Gaster, something flashed through Sans’s vision. An image of his father in Gaster’s place, he felt something in him give way. Without a second to react Sans was in tears, holding his face to Gaster’s chest as he sobbed.  
Gaster comforted him, “Sans, it’s alright…” He soothed. “You can try again later.”  
“I can’t…take this…” He sobbed. “I want my dad back!”  
Gaster could only imagine how long Sans had been holding this in. Without speaking he let Sans cry, rubbing his back for a while until Sans had exhausted himself. Without warning Sans slumped against Gaster, he had passed out. Gaster pulled him into his arms and teleported them to the lab, which surprised Vivienne who had been walking by when he showed up.  
“Oh gosh, honey you…oh my god, is he okay?!” Vivienne rushed up and looked them over.  
“Grab the medicine from the bathroom, he’s alright.” Gaster said lying Sans down on their couch. He frowned at the crack on Sans’s head, “I’m sorry Sans…”  
Vivienne hurried back with a black bottle, “Here,” She handed it to Gaster. “What happened?”  
Sans stirred a bit, but felt unable to open his eyes. He could hear voices…  
“I made a miscalculation…” Gaster grunted. “I forgot something so important, he could’ve killed himself.”  
“You were teaching him…weren’t you.” Vivienne murmured. “Are you out of your mind?”  
Gaster sighed, “I know, but he’s strong, he was able to do it flawlessly until…well…”  
“When he wakes up you better apologize to him.” She sounded upset.  
“I will…he may be out for a while so I’m going to pick up his brother and bring him here. Sans told me his brother gets out of school around this time.”  
“Alright, be careful, I’ll keep an eye on him.” Vivienne said softly.  
“I’ll be back soon.”  
Silence filled the room, then he felt a warm soft hand on his forehead. His eyes flew open and he grabbed her wrist, his eyes wide and frightened. Vivienne was a bit startled but she gave him a reassuring smile, “Oh, you’re awake.” She used her free hand to wipe the small crack on his head. “It may sting a little, but that crack should be healed up nicely soon.”  
Sans let her go, feeling awkward at her closeness he blushed and looked away from her, “Why are you so nice? Are you playing some kind of game with us? Trying to make us let our guard down so you can strike us down?”  
Vivienne smiled at him, “No, not in the least. You’ve been around me long enough, right? You should know I wouldn’t hurt you.”  
Sans glanced at her, “I…don’t know…”  
“You hate humans, I see that dear. I’m not asking for you to like me, but accept me as I am.” She dabbed the wound again, earning an annoyed hiss from Sans.  
“I guess…” He relaxed as the medicine began to mend the bone back together.  
She smiled, “How do you feel?”  
He could feel the pain receding, “Much better…uh…” He blushed. “Thanks.”  
Vivienne leaned against the couch, “I’m glad.”  
Sans watched her warily, “So…uh…” He felt like holding his tongue but opened his mouth. “What’s the s-surface like?”  
She looked back, “The surface?” She thought a moment. “Nothing like this place, it’s wide open, fresh…at night, millions of stars twinkle in the dark void of space, then when the morning comes…” She sighed happily, but there was a longing in her eyes. “I gave that up to be here with Gaster.” She turned her head to smile at Sans. “Love is an odd thing, the will to be there for that person through everything, even if it hurts you. It made me give up on the surface to start a life here, even in secret.”  
Sans looked away as his thoughts raced, “Sacrifice.”  
She nodded, “That is the biggest act of love, Sans. Being able to sacrifice for them, to be sure they have what they need. There is nothing more fulfilling than sacrificing one’s self for another.”  
Sans nodded, “I…understand a little more now.”  
“You’re young Sans, you have time to discover these things.” She gave him a pat on the leg. “Alright, now you can explain to me what happened with this.” She gestured to the healing wound on his head.  
He chuckled nervously, “It’s no big deal…really.” When her look of question didn’t falter he sighed. “I just had a little accident, I’m okay.”  
She smiled at him, “Good, Gaster would never forgive himself if something happened to you.”  
Sans chuckled and blushed, “He’s a good guy…nothing ever gets under his skin, not with a funny bone like that.”  
Vivienne groaned, “Contain your puns.” She giggled a bit and stood. “Would you like something to drink?”  
“Yes, please.” He sat and watched her leave. Just then Gaster walked in with Papyrus in tow.  
“He’s over there.” Gaster said to Papyrus, pointing towards Sans.  
Papyrus rushed to his brother’s side and flung himself on top of him. “Oof!” Sans wheezed. “Jeez Pap, be careful.” Sans chuckled.  
“SANS, YOU DIDN’T PICK ME UP.” Papyrus mumbled. “WHERE WERE YOU? AND WHY ARE YOU ALL RED?”  
Sans looked down at his clothes to see they were indeed a little soaked in blood, “Shi-I mean…hey, just ketchup.” He chuckled. “You know me; I’m a bit of a slob.”  
Papyrus giggled, “COME ON YOU LAZY BONES, LET’S GO HOME! YOU NEED A SHOWER.”  
Sans looked to Gaster, “Uh…maybe in a bit Pap, I’m still working.”  
Papyrus shook his head, “I ASKED, AND MR. GASTER SAID YOU COULD TAKE ME HOME AND RELAX!”  
Sans chuckled and pulled Papyrus down to hug him, “Aw, you’d do that for me? You’re the greatest bro ever.”  
Papyrus struggled to get away, “EWIE SANS! DON’T GET ME COVERED IN KETCHUP TOO!”  
Sans immediately pushed Papyrus off himself gently, “Sorry! I forgot.” He shrugged.  
Gaster nodded to the brothers, “Go on home, I have some business to attend to with my wife.” He turned to Vivienne; his eyes were a little devoid of light. “Someone knows…”  
The cup in Vivienne’s hand crashed to the floor, “W-What? Who?”  
Gaster shook his head, “Someone was talking about seeing a human here…one with black hair and blue eyes.”  
Sans sat up, “Wait, are you telling me someone knows about Vivienne being hu-“ Sans caught himself and looked to his brother. “Well, Doc…I’ll take my brother home. Let me know if you need anything.”  
Gaster nodded, “Thank you Sans.”  
On their walk home Sans felt something heavy in his chest, if someone knew about Vivienne, Asgore would be the next one to hear of it. She and their child would be in danger. Sans didn’t realize he was squeezing Papyrus’s hand too hard until Papyrus whimpered and tugged his arm away.  
“I’m sorry Pap!” Sans took his brother’s hand and looked it over. “I was just…thinking a little too hard.”  
Papyrus looked worried, “SANS…IS EVERYTHING OKAY? GASTER TOLD ME YOU HAD AN ACCIDENT.”  
Sans chuckled, “I’m fine, nothing for you to worry about.”  
“WHEN I GROW UP, I WANT TO BECOME STRONG SO I CAN PROTECT YOU.” Papyrus smiled brightly up at Sans. “I’LL JOIN THE ROYAL GUARD AND…AND I’LL GET TO BE LIKE THOSE KNIGHTS IN THE COMICS!”  
Sans felt his chest tighten and he wiped a tear away, his brother was too innocent for his own good, “You’re going to be the greatest.”  
Papyrus gave Sans a hopeful smile and hugged his arm, “CAN WE GET SOMETHING OTHER THAN GRILLBYZ TONIGHT?”  
Sans nodded, “Sure, I’ll see what I can find.”

Sans walked into the lab the next morning, it was messier than usual. He looked around, “Doc? You here?” He looked around for a while until he found Gaster slumped against the wall with his head in his hands. Sans ran over to him, “Hey, Gaster are you alright? Are you hurt?” He asked frantically looking over him for any injuries.  
“Sans…” Gaster croaked. When Gaster turned his head up, his eyes were overflowing, dark circles lined under his eyes. Sans stared back at him in horror.  
“What happened?” Sans asked kneeling beside him.  
Gaster wiped his eyes and shook his head, “She’s gone…”  
Something tore through Sans’s chest, a guilty feeling, “G-Gaster, what do you mean she’s gone? Did…Did Asgore…” He couldn’t bring himself to say it.  
Gaster managed to shake his head, “No…I…I got her out before anything could happen. I smuggled her to the barrier and…with the help of a powerful monster soul…I passed her through.”  
Sans’s legs were trembling, “So, she’s safe?”  
“She’s somewhere I cannot protect her…I don’t know if…I don’t know what she’s going to-“  
The lab doors opened and a delivery man stepped inside, “Sorry to bother you, but I have a shipment of parts here!”  
“I thought those were going to be delivered months from now?” Sans asked looking over Gaster’s surprised expression.  
“They were supposed to be,” Gaster composed himself and walked down to the monster holding the clipboard. “I’m very grateful for this but…my shipment wasn’t to be brought here for another few months.”  
“Asgore had them delivered to you without haste, something about needing to know what you are building once it’s built.” The monster shrugged.  
Gaster sighed, “Like an impatient child.” He signed for the parts and the monster began to bring in all of the boxes.  
When everything was placed down Sans turned to Gaster, “Are you…going to be alright?”  
Gaster turned and smiled, “As long as Vivienne is safe, I have no reason to be upset. I will…miss her…but this was something I was ready to accept come the time.” He straightened himself and gave Sans a wide smile. “Let’s get started on building…shall we?”

Time passed by quickly, before long Sans had been working for Gaster for almost three years. The time machine was a huge piece of work, as it took a series of small tests and restructure before it could send a simple apple five minutes into the future. During their spent time, Sans had gotten relatively stronger, his power and ability were unmatched. Gaster couldn’t have been more proud, he spent his time with Sans and Papyrus when they weren’t working. He found comfort in their presence. Even if Vivienne and their child haunted his mind day and night, he liked to know that he wasn’t alone.  
The day had been long and boring; there was no work to be had at the lab for the day. Gaster spent the day with his two favorite skeletons. It was getting late when Papyrus spoke up.  
“HEY SANS, LET’S SEE A MOVIE!” Papyrus giggled.  
Sans nodded, “It’s been a while hasn’t it?” He chuckled and turned to Gaster who was reading a joke book. “What do you think dad?”  
Everyone in the room paused, Sans felt heat creeping up his neck as Gaster gave him a confused expression, but it soon softened, “I think that sounds great.” He gave Sans a smile and closed his book. He stood from the couch, walked up to Sans and pat him on the head. “Why don’t you both pick one out?”  
Papyrus folded his arms with a smile, “I WOULD LIKE THE ONE WITH THE KNIGHTS.”  
Sans nodded, his cheeks were still burning as he watched Gaster walk into the kitchen to get something to drink. Sans let out a breath and held a hand to his head, “Did…I just…”  
“WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT, BROTHER?” Papyrus asked with a laugh. “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT!”  
Sans nodded, “That was…really weird.”  
Papyrus dug into their movies and pulled out a DVD box with a cartoonish picture of a knight on the front, “ARE YOU OKAY WITH THIS ONE?”  
Sans gave his brother a smile, “Yeah, go ahead and pop it in.”  
Sans got comfortable on the couch while Papyrus got the movie set up. Sans cherished his and Gaster’s friendship, he looked up to him. But calling him dad out of the blue wasn’t what he intended. He could admit Gaster was a perfect Father figure, honestly he felt bad for the child on the surface who wouldn’t get to know Gaster like he and Papyrus did. He couldn’t deny he missed Vivienne’s calm voice and gentle company, it was a shame how things ended up…  
Papyrus jumped onto the couch beside Sans and waited for the movie to start. Gaster walked in a moment later and sat down between them. Sans couldn’t help glancing at Gaster, he was smiling. Sans knew that smile wasn’t always genuine, but he knew that at this moment, it was pure.  
Gaster glanced back at Sans and winked. Sans looked back at the movie, pulling his hood on to hide his face like a child, he just gave Gaster a reason to pick on him…  
When the movie had concluded, Papyrus was leaning on Gaster’s arm and was fast asleep. Gaster smiled down at Papyrus and chuckled softly, “I wanted to tell you something, Sans.” He said softly and his eyes drifted to Sans. “You boys are the closest thing to family I have, even if we are not related…I felt a little proud to hear you call me that.”  
Sans groaned a little and covered his face, “It slipped out…”  
Gaster shrugged, “I think of you both as my family. It is…more than I could ask for, being here like this.”  
Sans looked up to see the tears welling in Gaster’s eyes, “I am…happy to have the opportunity to be a parent…since my chance slipped away from me once, I consider this to be a second chance.”  
Sans felt tears in his own eyes, “Damn it Doc, now you got me all emotional…” He laughed. He scooted closer to Gaster and leaned on him. “I hope you don’t…mind…”  
Gaster shook his head, “I do not.”  
Before he knew it he had fallen asleep as well. Gaster sat between them, a happy smile on his face, but sad tears running down it. “One day…I will see you again Vivienne…one day I will see our child, see the life we created…” He wiped his eyes. “But for now…” He looked down at the sleeping brothers. “I have them to keep me going. I will find you again...someday…”

Sans had taken Papyrus to school. The day was normal, the air was cold as usual and the monsters around Snowdin buzzed around their usual places. Today was the day the Time Machine would get to be tested! Feeling overly excited Sans ran all the way to Hotland and into the Lab without any stops.  
“I’m…here!” Sans panted and leaned on the wall a moment.  
“Eager to try this out I see.” Gaster chuckled and turned towards their masterpiece. “Glorious piece of technology, I am more than pleased.”  
Sans nodded and took his place beside Gaster, “I’m so excited to really do this!”  
Gaster placed a hand on Sans’s shoulder, “Actually Sans,” Gaster said giving him a nervous smile. “I hope you don’t mind if I try it first. Honestly, I cannot tell you how excited I am that I…I cannot wait any longer.”  
Sans felt a ping of disappointment, “Aw…” He sighed and shrugged. “You’re the boss,” Sans chuckled. “Literally.”  
Gaster nodded, “Allow me to prepare myself and I shall be ready.” He walked into the next room, only to come back in the body suit. Gaster smiled, “Alright then Sans, we will be reenacting the time traveling apple today. I will be the apple.” He chuckled and walked to the pod door. “I am so excited, can you believe it? If this goes smoothly, who knows what kind of things this could be useful for?”  
Sans nodded and chuckled, “Are you sure I can’t go before you?”  
Gaster laughed, “Patience Sans.”  
Sans rolled his eyes with a chuckle, “Jeez, throw me a bone over here Doc, I’m just psyched to see this thing working.”  
“You will, just wait.” Gaster paused a moment, “Sans, will you promise me something?” He turned to face Sans. “Will you promise me you will be happy? That when this is all said and done, you will smile and be happy?”  
Sans felt embarrassed but nodded, “I am happy Gaster…but sure, I promise. You’re the greatest boss I could’ve asked for.”  
Gaster looked so proud, “Are you ready?”  
Sans shrugged, “I was born ready, let’s do this.”  
Gaster stepped inside the pod and the door shut. Sans felt his chest tightening. He took a moment to really process this. He took a deep breath and gave Gaster a confident smile, “Alright…to the future!” Sans hit the start button and the pod shook, as it normally did. The light inside the pod got bright and steam puffed from the machine. Without warning sparks began to fly from it. A red light inside the pod signaled an error, the pod began to smoke and shake violently. A look of fear passed over Gaster’s features and Sans panicked.  
“GASTER!” Sans cried and went to eject the pod. “I’ll get you out!” But the moment he hit the button the pod burst open, exploding with enough force to throw Sans across the room. He hit the wall then the floor with a thud. He wheezed and held his arms around his chest, something felt like it cracked. Once the pain was bearable enough to focus he looked up. There was smoke coming from the machine…and a black scorch mark inside the pod in the shape of a body.  
“G-Gaster!” Sans cried out, he began to drag himself to his feet. Stumbling to the machine he cried out again. “Gaster!” He looked around; the room seemed to twist and turn a bit and Sans felt nausea settle in. He fell to his knees and threw up, this wasn’t happening…  
“Oh god…” Sans couldn’t stand back up. “Oh god…no…no please…” He began to cry. “Gaster…please!” He sobbed out. “NO!”  
He managed to get back on his feet, he ignored the dizziness and pain shooting through him. He stumbled forward, holding his ribs gently. He had to get out of the lab; the smoke and fire was becoming too much to handle. He stumbled out the door and collapsed onto his side, the pain in his ribs intensified as he sobbed against the dirt ground. He had lost Gaster...the lab was on fire and the time machine was destroyed. Sans couldn’t handle the guilt and pain wrapping around his brain, this pain was worse than anything he had ever felt.  
He had to break the news to Papyrus, he had to get home and comfort his brother. He forced himself to his feet and stumbled to the ferry; they didn’t ask questions and took him straight to Snowdin. Sans wasted no time getting to the house, throwing open the door, startling Papyrus who had been crossing from the kitchen to the living room.  
“OH MY GOD! BROTHER, WHAT HAPPENED?!” Papyrus rushed over to help Sans inside.  
Sans could barely talk over the sobs breaking through, “P-Pap, Gaster is…he’s...he’s gone…” Sans whimpered. “Oh god…it’s all my fault…” He sobbed.  
Papyrus took Sans by the shoulders, “UH…SANS? WHO…WHO IS GASTER?”  
Sans felt sick again, “What do you mean…who is Gaster? My boss? The guy who’s been taking care of us for the last three years?! You know him he was here sitting on this couch last night!”  
Papyrus flinched, “SANS…WE WERE ALONE LAST NIGHT, WE’VE BEEN ALONE HERE.” Papyrus looked genuinely worried. “DID YOU HIT YOUR HEAD?”  
Sans felt the air leave him, he slumped against the couch, “No…Pap he was sitting right here with us last night!” Sans curled up into a ball on the couch, he held his arms around his ribs.  
“BROTHER, YOUR EYE IS BLEEDING!” Papyrus cried, he ran into the kitchen and came back with a hand towel. He gave it to Sans who took it and held it to his face. “WHY ARE YOU SO DIRTY?”  
Sans couldn’t speak, the guilt wracking his brain was making it hard to focus, the pain in his ribs made it even worse, “I need a doctor…” Sans mumbled sleepily.  
Sans came to realize, everyone who knew Gaster seemingly forgot him. His very existence was gone. In turn, Sans kept a journal of everything he remembered about Gaster, everything he couldn’t bear to forget so that when he needed to reassure himself of Gaster’s existence, it was written there.  
Sans’s eye had been injured by a piece of shrapnel in the explosion…his right eye could no longer glow blue. His ribs were wracked twice as sensitive due to the injury, so he couldn’t sleep on his stomach anymore. He hated how everything became; he hated everything…but…  
“NYAH HA HA! SEE BROTHER! ONCE UNDYNE REALIZES MY TRUE POTENTIAL I’LL GET INTO THE ROYAL GUARD FOR SURE!” Papyrus chirped. “SHE SAID AS LONG AS I WORKED ON MY PUZZLES I COULD PATROL AROUND SNOWDIN! WOWIE…HOW EXCITING, RIGHT? I’LL GET TO PATROL AROUND YOUR SENTRY POST!”  
Sans chuckled and yawned, “You’re so cool Pap, and you look great in your…ah, battle body?”  
Papyrus nodded, “CORRECT, SANS! NOW! LET US COMMENCE THE HUNT FOR HUMANS!”  
Sans chuckled, “I’ll follow you.”  
Sans had left his journal out on his bed when he left the house. The last passage left there read: I know you’re still out there…  
…Gaster…


	18. Foreshadowing Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryou: Huh...I really love the outfit change! Thanks <3   
> Me: ; ^; your welcome <3  
> Sans: Lookin good babe (づ￣ ³￣)づ  
> Ryou: All thanks to you guys! *touches my gray hoodie* I like yours a lot too!  
> Me: ಥ⌣ಥ ...   
> Everyone: (・_・;) ( Q uQ)(^_^ ) 
> 
> Thank you guys for the Support and...uh...well this chapter basically sums up what is coming so...*hides self*

Ryou sat with Sans outside, she had recovered enough to walk again but the painful healing wound on her chest continued to ache, which was rather annoying. Sans was reading his joke book for a bit while he held her hand. She sighed and smiled as she watched Frisk play with Undyne and Papyrus in the snow. Curiosity began to settle in, “Hey Sans…”  
“Hmm?” He looked up at her.  
She blushed, “I…was wondering something.”  
He smiled, “What is it?”  
She watched Frisk for a while longer and she took a deep breath, “Have you ever…thought of being a parent…having your own kids?”  
There was a long silence, she looked back to see his eyes were wide and he was staring at her. She felt an embarrassed flush tickle her face and she quickly tried to explain, “I-I mean I’m not saying we should go having any right this minute!” She assured him with a nervous smile. “I was…” She sighed. “Just curious is all.”  
He nodded slowly and turned his attention to Frisk, “I’ve honestly never thought about it before…I’m not sure I’m really the kind of guy who would be good with…kids.” He looked a little distant suddenly.  
“But you’re good with Frisk, right?”   
He rubbed the back of his head, “Yeah…I uh…she’s different. If it weren’t for that promise I made to Toriel Frisk probably wouldn’t be here. I would’ve killed her and had taken her soul to Asgore, but when Toriel begged me to watch over her I couldn’t say no. Honestly, I got a little attached to Frisk…well, as long as it was Frisk.”  
Ryou nodded, “You don’t have to explain.” She thought back to Gaster and her heart began to race. “Sans…when I was unconscious, I met my dad.”  
He looked up, “Oh? Really? Wow, what was he like?”  
She bit her lip, “He was goofy…he tried to make my memory of him human. Scared me half to death, made me think all of this here was nothing but a child’s fantasy.” She laughed and sighed. “Sans, you know him.”  
“Do I?” He seemed genuinely confused. “Well, I can only recall one monster with eyes like…yours…” He stared at her as his words faded. “Wait…Gaster is your…there isn’t any way that’s…possible…” He looked away for a moment. “I guess in a way it makes sense, you do have a similar resemblance to him…well, I’m sure your bones look just like him.” His smile faded. “So…what was said?”  
She looked up at the sky, “He asked me to keep you from bringing him back.”  
Sans’s head whipped around, “What?”  
“He said he is a part of time itself, bringing him back could tear a hole in our timeline…and could erase you too.” She bit her lip and looked into his eyes; they were staring into the distance, a sad smile on his face. “Heh…just like him…” He shook his head and chuckled. “I guess I didn’t lose him all together, I’m dating his daughter after all.” He gave her a sideways grin.  
She blushed and smiled back, “Yes, and I love you very much.” She leaned into him and gave him a big kiss on his cheekbone.   
He wrapped an arm around her waist, “So what brought up the topic of children suddenly? You’re not trying to tell me something, right?”  
She laughed, “Come on, I wouldn’t hide something like that from you.”  
He let out a loud sigh of relief, “Okay good…” He began to blush and his eyes drifted to her stomach.   
She shrugged, “I’m sure we can wait a while, I’m not in a hurry to start a family.”  
He kissed the top of her head and sighed as they watched Undyne toss Frisk in the air and catch her. She was screaming and laughing as she came back to Undyne. Ryou could almost see herself in Undyne’s place.   
Sans had glanced down at Ryou, “I should probably let you know now…your clothes were torn pretty badly in that fight and even though Papyrus worked on them…we could only manage to save your boots and your beanie.”  
Ryou’s eyes seemed to sadden, “Oh…” Was all she could get out. He knew what those items meant to her, they really had tried to fix them but there wasn’t enough cloth left to work with.   
“So…me and Undyne went shopping and got you some things.” He said standing. “Come inside and try them on.”  
She got up and followed him inside; walking into his room he shuffled to the dresser and pulled a bag out of one of the drawers. He smiled at her and held up a pink sweater, the hood had fluffy cream colored fabric inside it and looked comfortable.  
She took it and pulled it on, it was a little big but it was soft and warm, “I love it!” She giggled. He blushed and pulled out a white shirt, it looked like her white cut off t-shirt. But when he held it out to her he looked away with a nervous smile. Ryou saw the text on the front and read, “My boyfriend is a Bonehead…” She glanced up at him to see his nervous smile get wider. She rolled her eyes and pulled the sweater off, then pulled Sans’s white T-shirt over her head and took the shirt. She slipped it on and was surprised at the snug fit, had she gone up another bra size? Papyrus’s food must be making her gain weight, “My boobs feel a little tight in this but I like it too much to give it back.”  
He couldn’t help glancing at her bust and he gulped, “A-Are you sure you don’t want me to get you one a little…b-bigger?” He was sweating…  
She raised a brow, “And miss seeing you so flustered? Are you kidding?” She giggled and he looked away from her. “It’s okay, I love it.” She assured him as she pulled her new sweater back on.  
He nodded and pulled something out of the bag she didn’t expect, “U-Undyne bought this…she forced me to pick it out for you but…I feel it’s…too…” His face was fully flushed and he looked ready to burst at the silken black fabric resting in his hands.   
Ryou pulled it from him and held it up. It was a black silken lingerie dress; it had a little skull embedded in a black bow in the middle of the bust. She stared at it for a few moments then turned her attention to Sans who was looking away, he was visibly shaking and blushing, “What’s wrong Sans? You look so rattled.” She joked. “Did you want me to try this on right now?”  
He glanced at her and then slowly nodded, “If…you like.”  
She giggled, “Alright, I don’t want to be rude and not at least try it.” She said softly as she undressed herself. Sans kept his focus away from her, such a gentleman. Once she was stripped to just her underwear she pulled the dress over her head. It came down to her upper thigh and barely covered her bottom. She could see her bust squeezed into the fabric. She blushed, “This was so thoughtful…” She whispered. “H…How do I look?”  
Sans took a deep breath and turned his gaze to her. His eyes widened a bit and he held his breath, the fabric molded so well to her body…his excitement seemed to fade a bit as he reached a hand to lightly trace the scar forming over her heart, then drew his hand to her chin to look into her eyes. “You look beautiful.” He whispered and gazed into her eyes. The way he said it sent a shiver up her spine. His voice held a deep love in it, something so real she could almost feel it. She blushed as he traced his fingers down her neck softly then down her arm. “Are you…comfortable in that?”  
She looked away and bit her lip, “It’s a little…revealing, so I don’t mind wearing it to bed.”  
He chuckled and touched the fabric. He ran his fingers over it before letting his hand drop to his side and he looked away, “I should stop…”  
She blushed, “We do have people over…” She glanced at him with a smile. “I promise I’ll be quiet.”  
He let out a low groan and pulled her to him, “Don’t say stuff like that to tease me.”  
She giggled, “I wasn’t teasing.” She began to gently nibble his jaw, her fingers gently gliding over his ribs.  
“I-I s-shouldn’t…” A pleasured hum rumbled within him, vibrating the bone under her fingertips. “You just…recovered…” He moaned softly and leaned into her hand.  
She pulled his shirt down to reveal his collar bone, gently sweeping her tongue over it. Sans hissed, his hand went to her head to hold her mouth to him, the other was clenching and unclenching a fist, “I don’t want to…hurt you…AH!” She had bit him.  
“I’m not going to break in half.” Ryou said suckling on the bone.  
“T-That’s not what I’m worried about..!” Sans managed through clenched teeth. “W-What if…your wound…o-opens..?”  
She stopped a moment, “I think I’ll take that chance.” She said, her hands sliding down to his pelvis. She could hear the yelp and his breathing became short. He had sweat beading down his skull, panting a bit while his fingers gripped her hair.  
“Are you sure…?”   
She nodded, “I’m fine.”  
Sans grunted; he took ahold of her and gently thrust her up against the wall. She gave a surprised gasp; his hands were all over her, his teeth were biting her right shoulder to hold her in place. His hands cupped her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over her nipples. She felt his teeth leave her skin and he pulled back, “If I hurt you, please tell me…”  
She nuzzled him, “I’ll be fine, jeez, stop worrying.”  
He gave in with a sigh, “Then we should enjoy ourselves.” His voice was low and dangerous. Ryou hadn’t heard him talk that that before, it made her shiver with a flush of goosebumps rise on her skin. Without a moment of hesitation Sans had torn her panties from her body. He used the wall to hold her up while he pulled her legs around his waist; his eye was glowing.  
She felt the pressure, the sparking force against her, this…this was new. “S-Sans…w-what-“ She felt it push inside of her at an agonizingly slow pace. She bit her lip a moment, there was immediate pain, but it was quickly replaced by pleasure. She hadn’t tried this before…  
“You’re so warm.” Sans buried his face in her shoulder, “You’re even warmer…here…” He murmured against her skin, pushing his hips up. Ryou’s fingers dug into Sans’s jacket, her chest wound ached but it was being overpowered by Sans. He took ahold of her hips, “Thought I would try something new, show you a little magic trick.” He murmured.  
She couldn’t keep her eyes open, “I don’t even know what it is you’re doing…but I like it.” She purred.  
Sans began to thrust his hips, his teeth returned to her shoulder. Ryou had to bite her tongue so she couldn’t cry out, she could hear voices from downstairs and she wasn’t about to let everyone know what they were doing. There was a rhythm, gentle yet fast enough to not hurt her. She liked this…a little too much. Before long she felt so good she couldn’t stop the moans from slipping out.  
She was panting; her body was heating up too much as her body shook. Sans was letting out little groans against her skin; he seemed to be having a hard time staying quiet as well.   
Sans seemed to lose control for a moment and began pounding her against the wall, she let out a little whine of pain and he stopped, “Sorry…I lost myself a moment…” He panted, taking her cheek in his hand he looked into her eyes. He began to pick up on his rhythm again without haste. He could feel how good she was feeling now; the front of his pants were damp. “You must really be liking this.” He panted. He gazed at her face, her eyes were half closed and sparkling at him and her cheeks were burning a bright red. Her lips were parted and he took that opportunity to kiss her, she tasted so sweet. She leaned into him, but pulled away suddenly with a gasp.   
Stars burst in Ryou’s wide eyes, her orgasm hit hard. Burying her face in Sans’s shoulder she moaned against the fabric, shuddering as Sans picked up speed. A moment later he held her waist tightly and cried out, unable to hide his voice in time. Warmth pooled in her stomach as Sans held her, they were both panting against one another’s shaking bodies until he recovered enough to let her down.  
She was still shaking but she looked to be okay, “Are you in any pain?” Sans asked taking her hand.   
She shook her head, “No, I’m alright. I’m just a little disoriented.” She laughed breathlessly.  
He chuckled, “I should really consider buying you…things like that more often.” He panted with a smile, then looked away. “You should shower…”  
She could feel the moisture, “You should too.” She pointed to the front of his shorts.  
He looked down and blushed, “Heh…you’re probably right.” 

After a hot shower, Ryou pulled on her new clothing with some jeans Undyne gave her. She loved the shirt so much. She walked down the stairs to see Papyrus setting the table, “Hey Papyrus, you getting everything ready for dinner?”  
Papyrus nodded, “INDEED! I HAVE PREPARED THE SPAGHETTI AND EVERYONE WILL BE BACK SOON TO EAT! I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO…SET THE TABLE FOR EVERYONE.”  
Ryou smiled, “Anything I can do to help?”  
He shook his head, “I AM ALMOST DONE HERE, COULD YOU PUT THE MOVIE ALPHYS BROUGHT ON?”  
Ryou nodded and walked into the living room, she picked the tape up from the couch and popped it in. Before it started she paused it and looked up to see Sans walking down the stairs, “Something burning?” He asked standing beside her.   
“Papyrus made dinner.” She giggled.  
“Ah,” Sans nodded and walked to the kitchen. “Sup bro.” He greeted Papyrus.  
Papyrus smiled, “OH BROTHER, I AM MOST CERTAIN THAT EVERYONE WILL LOVE THIS SPAGHETTI I MADE!” Papyrus shifted uncomfortably.   
Knowing his brother’s body language he chuckled, “Where you going?” Sans asked as he grabbed a cup of water.  
Papyrus choked and blushed, “O-ON A…DATE WITH M-METTATON.”  
Sans spit his water out in shock, wiping his mouth he cough and cleared his throat, “Is that so?” Sans folded his arms. “Didn’t we talk about that, Papyrus?”  
He nodded sadly, “I JUST…WANT TO GIVE THIS A CHANCE, SANS…”  
Sans sighed, he knew this would turn to tears if he didn’t give in, “Okay,” He sighed. “But you’re back here by Eleven, I…I don’t want to have to go out lookin for ya.” He chuckled.  
Papyrus hugged Sans tightly, “THANK YOU BROTHER! I’M GOING TO GO GET READY!”  
Ryou walked in a moment later, “If I remember correctly, you don’t like Mettaton much.”  
Sans blushed, “Well…I know the kind of person Mettaton is…and how innocent Papyrus is. It worries me, you know?”  
Ryou bit her lip to keep a giggle from escaping, she nodded and looked away. When she managed to swallow her laughter she turned back, “Sans, Papyrus is a grown monster, able to make mistakes and be an adult. You should know this is the time to let him go.”  
Sans rubbed a hand over his right eye, “I…I guess.” There was a knock on the door and Sans grinned, “But you didn’t say anything about Mettaton.” Just like that he was at the door.   
When it opened, Mettaton was in his generator body in all its long legged glory. He was holding a bouquet of flowers, “Helloooo…oh…” Mettaton frowned. “Hello Sans.”  
“Hey there, what brings you here on this fine evening?” He grinned.  
Mettaton looked away, “You should know why.”  
Ryou couldn’t help laughing as she walked over, “Sans don’t be so mean.” She smiled at Mettaton. “Good to see you again.”  
He gasped, “Oh my dear, you are well again! Look at you; you’re even wearing such lovely new…” He paused and read her shirt. He glanced at Sans who was blushing. “I see, you could do better than him Darling, I have plenty of connections if you need them~”  
Sans’s eye glowed but Ryou held him back, “It’s alright Mettaton, I appreciate it…but Sans and I go way back so I can handle him.”  
Sans pushed past Ryou and looked Mettaton dead in the eye, “If you hurt Papyrus, even the slightest bit and I find out…” Sans shrugged and winked, but his eye was glowing. “You’ll Regrettaton.” With that he walked away back into the kitchen.  
Ryou cleared her throat awkwardly, “Sorry about him, over protective older brother.” She turned back to Mettaton, he looked livid. “Um…you look very nice today too Mettaton. You look lovelier than usual.”  
He blushed and smiled happily, “Oh dear, I knew using that new metal polish was a good idea! Do I really look that good?”  
“Of course, Papyrus wouldn’t care if you used some or not, he’s not one to judge but to really accept people for who they are.” She put a hand to her cheek and smiled. “I think he’ll be more than happy to see you so excited.”  
Mettaton wiped his eyes, “Oh goodness Darling you’re going to make me blow a fuse.” He laughed happily. Mettaton’s eyes drifted up to see Papyrus walking down in a dress suit. Ryou looked back and smiled, “Oh goodness, Papyrus you look so…” He looked ready to burst.  
He smiled, “HELLO, METTATON! I’M READY FOR OUR DATE.” He bounded up to Mettaton and smiled.  
Mettaton gave Papyrus the flowers with a shy smile, “These are for you darling…”  
Papyrus took them, “HOW THOUGHTFUL OF YOU, THEY ARE SO COLORFUL! AND THIS ONE IS RED!” Papyrus picked a rose from the bunch and inhaled. Mattaton was blushing heavily and giggling softly. “I LOVE THEM!”  
Mettaton took his arm, “Then let us be on our way.”  
As they walked outside Ryou saw Mettaton sneak a quick peck to Papyrus’s cheek to which Papyrus laughed and smiled down at him. Ryou giggled, “How sweet…”  
“It’s disgusting…” Sans grumbled beside her.  
Ryou jumped a little, “Jesus, Sans! Don’t sneak up on me like that…”   
He chuckled, “Sorry.”  
She sighed and shut the door, “Sans…aren’t you happy your brother is happy?”  
Sans stayed silent for a moment, “Of course I am…” He mumbled. “Why Mettaton though?”  
Ryou took Sans’s hand, “Love is an odd thing, Sans.” She gave it a squeeze. “The will to be there for that person, even if it hurts you.” She sighed happily. “Mettaton is lucky to have someone like Papyrus.”  
Sans’s eyes widened and he stared at Ryou for a long moment. She could see something in his eyes, like he was remembering something he had long since forgotten. Before long he chuckled, “You’re right…it really is.”  
Just then the door burst open and Undyne flew in, “COLD COLD COLD!” She cried running up the stairs to Papyrus’s room, there was a few moments of fumbling and she came back down with Papyrus’s cool guy shirt and some shorts.   
Frisk walked in a moment later and signed to Ryou, “She got pelted by slush that came down from the tree.” Frisk was all wet as well.  
“Well, go have a shower before you catch a cold, Toriel would have my head.” Sans chuckled.  
Frisk bounded past Undyne to the bathroom. Undyne laughed, “Oh gosh that was fun! You guys shouldn’t have come back in so soon!”  
Ryou blushed and laughed, “Sans gave me the new clothes, thank you so much.”  
Undyne blushed, “You liked that black thing I found? I thought it would look nice on Alphys but um…” She looked away. “I thought you would look better in it…because Alphys looks so cute in white.” She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her.  
“I loved it, thank you.” Ryou looked to Sans whose face was hidden in the fluff of his jacket. “I think Sans liked it too.”  
She could feel his heated blush, he was almost steaming. Undyne laughed at Sans’s reaction, “Well I’m glad, thought you would like it, but don’t cover your scar like that! You should be empowered by it!”  
Ryou absently placed a hand over the scar, “It’s…still healing.”  
Undyne shrugged, “Well, anyway, you guys make dinner?”  
“Papyrus did.”  
Undyne paused, “Oh…well, I’m sure with a few extra spices it’ll taste okay. I hope he didn’t put glitter in it again.”  
Ryou laughed, “No, I think he’s got it down now.”  
“You guys up for a movie?”  
Ryou nodded, “Sounds nice, we’ll just wait for Frisk and we’ll dish up.”

Sans had felt very upset over Papyrus and Mettaton, but after Ryou’s little pep talk he felt a little more calm. Eleven on the dot Papyrus came home; he walked in and greeted everyone.  
“HELLO EVERYBODY! I’M HOME FROM MY DATE!” Papyrus walked up to the couch and gave everyone a happy smile.  
Sans looked up at his brother, “You have fun?”   
Papyrus nodded, “I DID! VERY MUCH SO!”  
“That’s great, anything you want to share?” Sans asked giving his brother a happy smile.  
Ryou placed a hand on Sans’s shoulder, “Let’s chat about it tomorrow, I’m sure Papyrus is exhausted.”  
Sans raised a brow at her then nodded, “Yeah, you’re right. You want your story Pap?”  
Papyrus nodded, “AS ALWAYS! I’LL GO CHANGE!”  
Once Papyrus was out of the room Ryou grinned down at Sans, he glanced at her and slightly glared, “What?”  
“Nothing.” She giggled and kissed his head. “I just love you.”  
He blushed and smiled, “I love you too…”  
“Will you guys stop being so mushy up there?” Undyne groaned from the floor. Frisk was sleeping against her.   
Sans chuckled and yawned, “Alright I’ll be back.” Sans walked up the stairs and into Papyrus’s room, closing the door behind him.   
“I gatta get goin, Alphys wanted me to spend the night with her.” Undyne said picking up Frisk. “Toriel will pick up Frisk tomorrow morning.” She walked up to Papyrus’s room and came back down. “I’ll see you guys later, kay?” With that she left.   
Ryou walked to Sans’s room and flopped onto the bed, her eyes drifted closed. Another perfect day, the pain from her wound had subsided and she was able to relax. She heard Sans walk in moments later but she couldn’t open her eyes to look at him. She felt him crawl up next to her and wrap his arms around her without a word. She snuggled into him and began to drift.  
“Mommy?”  
Ryou’s eyes opened slowly, she could immediately feel something was wrong. Letting her eyes adjust she saw a small child standing beside her; a little boy with pale, almost white skin. He had curly black hair; his eyes were a dark void with blue irises that glowed dimly in the dark room. Ryou took a moment to process what she was looking at before she sat up. Before she could speak words flowed from her mouth, “Aiden…what are you doing up?” What…the hell was happening?  
“I had a nightmare.” He whimpered and wrapped his little arms around her.  
Ryou was internally freaking out, what the hell was going on?! “Oh sweetheart, you remember what dad told you right?”  
The boy nodded, “They aren’t real..?”  
Ryou felt herself nod, “Exactly,” She pet the child’s hair. It was smooth and silky against her fingertips. “Do you want to sleep here with your dad and I?”  
He nodded and buried his face in her stomach, “Yeah…”   
Ryou pulled the boy in her arms, he felt so warm, “What was your nightmare about?”  
“A scary girl…and a flower…”  
Inside Ryou was panicking a little, but outside she smiled and kissed the boy’s head, “It’s alright, Aiden…” She whispered. “I need to remind your uncle Papyrus not to read you that story.”  
The child looked up at Ryou, “Mommy?”  
“Yeah sweetheart?”  
“I love you.”  
Ryou felt something ping in her stomach, “I love you too.”  
The room suddenly shook, “Ryou…” There was someone standing in the doorway. The figure grinned evilly at her; something shiny was in her hands.   
Ryou shielded the child, “Chara..?”  
Before she could react Chara ran into the room at full force and stabbed the boy in her arms.

Ryou sat up with a gasp, “Aiden!” She screamed out, startling Sans. She was shaking and held her arms to her chest.   
“Ryou?” He placed a hand on her arm, she flinched. “Whoa…what happened? Are you okay?”  
She looked around the room, “Where…where’s Aiden?”  
“Who?”  
She blinked back tears, something…really wasn’t right. “Nevermind…” She breathed.  
“Who’s Aiden?”  
She shook her head, “It’s alright Sans…” She rubbed her hands to her eyes and took a deep breath. “I was just having a nightmare.”  
He wrapped his arms around her, “Okay, I won’t press…” He murmured pulling her back down to lay with him.  
She nodded, “Thank you…”  
She couldn’t sleep anymore, something was horribly wrong with her dream. Something about it felt too real, the feeling of the boy against her, his warmth against her. She knew that boy was her child in her dream, but it was…just a dream. He wasn’t real.  
For the next week Ryou was a zombie, she couldn’t get going. Every night, she was having these same dreams. She felt overly exhausted and depressed; she needed space to think. She wished she could tell Sans, but after their talk about how he felt about kids, she didn’t want to freak him out.  
“RYOU’S BEEN VERY QUIET TODAY.” Papyrus told Sans. “I HAVEN’T REALLY SEEN HER THIS WEEK, IS SHE ILL?”  
Sans glanced to the stairs, “She told me she’s been having nightmares but didn’t tell me about what they were.”  
Papyrus thought a moment, “I WILL DO HER A KINDNESS AND MAKE HER SOMETHING TO CHEER HER UP!”  
Sans chuckled, “I think she would appreciate that.” He glanced to the stairs again. “I really hope her nightmares stop soon…”


	19. Love thy Robot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry the chapter is late...*coughs* I was going to make a joke about being late...but then I thought (too soon XD)

Ryou woke up in her dream again, but this time she wasn’t waking up in her room with the little boy, she was waking up next to Gaster in a strange field of golden flowers. She watched him for a few minutes before speaking, “Where have you been?” Gaster was quiet, but he pat her on the head. He seemed perplexed and it made Ryou a little nervous, “Dad..?”  
“I’m so sorry.” He murmured. “It’s been hard on you…your nightmares, I mean.”  
Ryou rolled her eyes, “It’s not the worst thing to happen to me.”  
Gaster smiled, “He’s real Ryou…”  
“Who? Aiden?” She was now confused.  
He nodded, “In the coming future, he will be real.”  
Ryou blushed, “Wait…are you saying Aiden really is my son?”  
Gaster chuckled, “He’s not right this minute, but in the near future.”  
Ryou couldn’t help the excited butterflies in her stomach, “You’ll be grandpa Gaster.” She snickered.  
Gaster barked out a laugh, “A Grandster?”  
Ryou snorted, “Of all the things you could’ve picked, you picked that?”  
He shrugged, “I was a Dadster.” He winked.  
“Really Dad, now you’re just being ridiculous.” Ryou laughed.  
They laughed for a few minutes before Gaster gave a happy sigh and pet her head, “You know, your mother used to be such gentle soul. You on the other hand must’ve picked up more of me…you’ve been nothing but trouble.” He laughed.  
Ryou giggled, “Oh yes, you must’ve been such a ruffian.”  
Gaster shrugged, “I used to be quite the wild card before I met your mother.”  
Ryou was shocked, “Really? You seem more of the nerdy type.”  
He shrugged, “I am, but I used to be good friends with a hot head named Grillby.”  
Ryou blinked, “The bartender?”  
Gaster nodded, “Yup, funny how these things work, huh?” He smiled. “Grillby and I had a falling out after I got my job as Asgore’s royal scientist. When I met your mother, Grillby had opened his own tavern and was usually too busy to see me.” He looked down at Ryou. “Your mother always wanted me to rekindle that old flame.” He joked.  
Ryou chuckled, then sighed, “Speaking of mom,” Ryou touched her stomach, “How…did she tell you she was going to have me? I mean, so I know how to tell Sans when it happens because honestly after our talk about children I’ve been a little worried about how he would react and I feel like if I just suddenly brought it up in conversation he would think I was a weirdo but maybe if I’m lucky he will-“  
“Whoa there,” He chuckled placing a hand over her mouth. “Slow down and I’ll tell you.”  
When he let her go she took a deep breath and smiled, “Sorry.”  
“Your mother was very…vague about it, but I knew better. She took my hand and placed it on her stomach and asked me if I loved her…I sort of…pieced it together after that.” He admitted.  
Ryou bit her lip, “Well…I could try that.”  
Gaster placed a hand on her head, “The near future is only so far away Ryou, I suggest you start planning out what to do.”  
Ryou nodded and sighed, “Will…Will Aiden get to meet you?”  
Gaster slowly smiled, but there was obvious pain on his face, “I…think we’ll just have to see.” He looked off into the distance.  
“Do you know anything about Chara and Flowey? Maybe…where they are?” Ryou asked hopefully.  
“I do, but I cannot tell you.” He said looking down at her. “I am sorry, but the strings of fate have been woven into you already. I can only tell you that they will return…but I’m afraid I cannot tell you when. Telling you might alter too much.”  
Ryou grit her teeth, “I want Chara dead...but Flowey…” Her voice trailed off at the thought of Asriel. “I’m still not giving up on him.”  
Gaster smiled and shook his head, “It’s almost time to wake up.”  
“Really? Darn…I really need to start keeping track of how long I sleep.” She laughed.  
Gaster gave her a peck on the head, “I will come to you again soon, do not worry.”  
Ryou nodded slowly, “Okay dad.” She felt a little flustered but gave him a happy smile.  
The room dimmed and color drained from everything, leaving it all in a gray haze. She watched as the area around erupted in gray petals that soon faded into the darkness…carrying Gaster with them.  
Ryou stirred from her sleep, she felt well rested for once. Bringing a hand to her eyes she wiped her sleep away and yawned. Gaster really was attached to time itself, how weird he was so calm about the nightmares though…  
She could feel Sans’s presence, he was curled up against her and snoring softly. She turned to face him and gently brushed a kiss to his head. He sighed in his sleep, snuggling deeper into their blanket. She giggled a bit; he looked so innocent like this. She pulled him gently into her arms, laying his face in the crook of her neck and began to gently trail her fingers up and down his back. He stirred a bit, humming softly against her skin.  
“That feels good…” He mumbled sleepily.  
She planted a gentle kiss on his cheek, “I’m glad you think so.”  
He nuzzled against her, “You sleep any better last night..?”  
She nodded slowly and rested her cheek on his head, “I feel a lot better.”  
He placed a kiss on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her, so he could embrace her, “I was worried about you…is there a reason you won’t tell me about your nightmares?”  
She stiffened a bit but felt it too mean to keep it from him, “I didn’t want you to freak out or anything.”  
Sans shrugged, “I’m pretty prepared for anything, babe.” He chuckled. “Nothing you say will freak me out…except calling out to someone named Aiden…that was a bit worrisome.”  
She blushed a bit, “It’s not what you’re thinking.” She tightened her hold on him a bit. “He was just a child in my dream.”  
Sans held her more tightly, “It was just a dream right?”  
Ryou’s face went red and she slowly shook her head, “Let me…explain.”  
She told him her nightmare, detail by detail then went onto everything her and Gaster talked about. Sans listened to her every word, waiting for her to finish before he pulled away to look at her. He had a strange look in his eyes. She had left out the part where Aiden was their child…she couldn’t say it; she couldn’t scare him like this. He didn’t need that kind of news right now.  
He chuckled and placed a hand on her face, “No matter what the future holds for us…I want to make sure you’re here with me.”  
She felt like tears were going to overflow, “Oh gosh Sans you’re going to make me cry.” She laughed and wiped her eyes.  
He pulled her in gently and kissed her, wrapping her up against him. She felt her cheeks getting warm and her eyes fluttered closed, the sensations and emotions rattling her felt so strange. When they parted she gazed at him, “I’m…really happy Sans.” She wiped her eyes again with a groan. “Stop crying me!” She demanded with a laugh.  
Sans moved her hands and kissed away her tears, “Don’t cry.” He chuckled. “I’m not going to push you away or freak out over something like this.”  
“I hope so…knowing what’s going to happen but not when is a little nerve wracking.” She admitted turning onto her back.  
Sans shrugged, “I’ve been there a few times with all the resets…and Chara…” He hesitated before speaking. “You mentioned Chara in your dream…right?”  
She nodded, “Yeah I did.”  
He grunted, “I won’t let her hurt you again.”  
Ryou nodded, “I’m not letting them hurt me again…but…Flowey-“  
Sans gripped her hand tightly, “He better hope I never see him again.” His eyes held something deadly mixed with hatred.  
Ryou swallowed nervously and sighed, “I need to ask you for a favor.”  
He nodded, “Anything, what did you need?”  
“Don’t get mad…” She hesitated, “I need to find Flowey…and talk to him.”  
Sans’s went void, “No.”  
“But-“  
“No.” He said again, this time with more force. He looked away from her with a sigh, “I’m not letting him close to you again.” Ryou could see neon blue tears in the corners of his eyes. “I almost lost you once…I…I wouldn’t be able to handle it again.”  
Ryou sat up and stared down at him, “Sans, I know how you feel…but I need to. Asriel is in there, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him. I promised I would save him Sans, and I intend to keep that promise.” She felt confident in her words. She knew he was afraid, but she needed to do this.  
They stared one another down for a moment until Sans caved in, “Damn it…I can’t say no to those determined eyes…” He grumbled and rubbed the back of his head. “But whether you like it or not, everyone, all of your friends will be there beside you.” He gave her a grin.  
She gave him a smile back, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

When Ryou finally managed to get out of bed she was pulled into a bear hug by Papyrus, “GOOD MORNING RYOU! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE MADE SOMETHING FOR YOU!” He dragged her into the kitchen to reveal a cake. It was a lopsided blue and pink cake with cut fruit and chocolate sprinkled over the frosting. In big letters it said ‘Stay Determined’. Ryou put a hand over her mouth.  
“He was up almost all night making it.” Sans chuckled from behind her.  
Papyrus awaited her response, “WELL? IS IT NOT FANTASTIC?” He looked away nervously. “I PUT A LOT OF LOVE INTO THIS CAKE JUST FOR YOU!...DO YOU LIKE IT?” He asked with a hopeful smile.  
Ryou nodded and threw herself into Papyrus’s arms, “You’re the best friend ever Papyrus! This was so thoughtful.”  
Papyrus hugged her with a proud smile, “OH I KNEW YOU WOULD! METTATON GAVE ME THE RECIPE!”  
Ryou nodded, “That’s right, Mettaton has his own cooking show, huh?” She reached into the drawer to grab a knife to cut the cake with. She held the knife over the cake, her hand trembled a moment. A feeling crept over her, something horrible.  
“Everything okay?” Sans asked.  
She could barely hear him over the sound of what she thought was rushing water. She shook it off and cut a piece, her heart was racing. The moment the piece was on her plate she let go of the knife and backed away from it as though it had tried to bite her. She stared at it for a moment, Chara’s face came to mind and she absently touched the scar on her chest. Something wasn’t right…  
“ARE YOU TOO SHOCKED AT THE DELICIOUSNESS OF MY CREATION?” Papyrus asked with a big smile.  
Ryou banished the thoughts and smiled, “I’m alright Pap, thanks.” She took a bite of the cake. It was a little too sweet but was pretty good. “It’s so good.”  
He had stars in his eyes, “WOWIE! I KNEW IT WOULD COME OUT GREAT!”  
Sans watched her as she ate, “You uh…looked a little freaked out by that knife, babe.”  
She had hoped he didn’t notice, “After Chara I’m surprised I can pick one up at all.” She stuffed her mouth full of cake. “Just a weird feeling, that’s all.”  
After finishing her cake Ryou went to thinking. Where would Flowey hide? He had escaped the Judgement hall…but where would he have fled to? He had no home to flee to, so maybe a cave? He had to be somewhere around the underground. Ryou hummed as she collected her thoughts, would it be too dangerous for everyone? Would Flowey try to steal her soul again?  
She thought harder, where could he be?! There was no possible way he would hide in Hotland…possibly Waterfall but she highly doubted that, he would have to be somewhere he would feel comfortable, somewhere close but far, somewhere…  
There was a knock on the door. Sans crossed the kitchen to the door and opened it, looking down was Frisk, “Hey there kiddo.” He greeted.  
Frisk signed, “I need to talk to Ryou.”  
“Where’s Toriel?”  
Frisk rolled her eyes and walked into the room, leaving Sans completely confused. She walked up to Ryou and signed, “How are you feeling?”  
“Better.” Ryou smiled and ruffled the child’s hair.  
“What comes next? Flowey’s still out there and I’m scared he’ll kill you.” She signed frantically. “I haven’t been able to sleep right thinking about all of this, what is our next course of action?”  
Ryou smiled, “Asriel is my next course of action.”  
Frisk jumped at the name, “Asriel? You mean-“  
Ryou nodded, “Yes, I mean I am going to free him.”  
“How could you possibly save him?” Frisk asked frowning.  
“I plan to separate him from Chara permanently.” Ryou explained.  
Frisk grimaced, “Are you crazy?”  
Ryou laughed, “Yes, I suppose at this point I am.”  
Sans walked up to Frisk, “Does your mother know you’re here?”  
Frisk shrugged and signed, “She’s with Asgore so…you do the math.”  
Sans blushed and coughed, “Uh huh…well, you’re welcome to stay for as long as you like.”  
Papyrus walked in a moment later, “WOWIE! I JUST GOT A MESSAGE FROM METTATON! HE’S INVITING US ALL TO HOTLAND FOR A PHOTOSHOOT!”  
Sans froze, his eyes going dark, “I’m good.” He mumbled.  
Ryou glared at Sans, then smiled sweetly to Papyrus, “We would love to go,” She turned back to Sans and gave him too sweet a smile, her eyes glowing. “Right Sans?”  
He groaned, “Why..?”  
“Come now Sans, it’ll be over in a flash.” Ryou grinned, Sans laughed at her pun.  
“STOP THAT.” Papyrus groaned storming back into the kitchen.  
Sans yawned, “You coming with Frisk?”  
She hesitated then nodded. She gave Sans a hug and walked into the kitchen where Papyrus was. Sans shrugged, “Guess I have no choice…”  
Ryou folded her arms, “What do you have against Mettaton? Your brother really loves him.”  
Sans grunted, “He’s a self-centered prick with no regards for people’s lives or feelings, he doesn’t care about anybody but himself…”  
“He obviously cares about Papyrus.”  
Sans opened his mouth to retort but shut it, he gave a shrug and sighed, “I guess…I’m not fond of Mettaton but I guess for Papyrus’s sake I’ll tolerate him.”  
Ryou smiled, “There, was that so hard?”  
Sans rolled his eyes and walked back up to his room, “I’m going to change, I’m sure, knowing Papyrus, we’ll be leaving shortly.” He chuckled.

They arrived at MTT Resort just in time to watch Mettaton’s grand entrance. Everyone wondered if he was ever going back to being a rectangle, but he seemed so determined to stay in his new body. Nobody could blame him of course, Ryou had to admit he looked handsome like that. Papyrus had stars in his eyes as Mettaton walked over to them.  
“Darlings!” He greeted then gave Papyrus a kiss on the cheek. “Hello my dear.”  
Papyrus giggled and blushed, “HELLO METTATON.”  
Ryou couldn’t help looking down and giggling at the look of disgust on Sans’s face. She bumped him and he looked away with a smile, “I hope you’re all ready for the photoshoot! Because I have a line of clothing for our female monsters and there are only one person here who would fit them!”  
Frisk hid behind Ryou and Ryou could already tell where this was going, “Uh oh…”  
They were all dragged up the elevator to a studio room where multiple cameras and sets were being placed and set up. Before Ryou could protest she was dragged into a dressing room. Where Mettaton turned to her and smiled, “You have the body of a human but you are a monster…truly, you have the perfect body for this gorgeous blood red evening gown made by Moi~” He gave a little giggle. “Now, let me have a look at what I’m dealing with.”  
Ryou was stripped down to her underwear and turned over several times by multiple female monsters, she was measured, slightly groped, and pushed around until she was dressed. Black gloves to contrast the red dress that ran up her arm just enough to be comfortable. Her hair was curled, makeup was applied including deep red lipstick and black eyeliner. Black and red stockings pulled up her legs to mid-thigh, they were silky and soft against her skin. She had a cream colored boa placed over her shoulder and she was spun around to look in the mirror. She looked like a completely different person.  
She looked down, the dress revealed a massive amount of her cleavage, past her breasts and to her stomach. She blushed heavily at the exposure, but the monster’s assured her of her beauty. Mettaton frowned at her and shook his head, “Something is missing!” He hissed and posed dramatically. “Something in her hair please.”  
Ryou looked around and found two hair pins with a rose on each, one black and one red, “Convenient colors.” Ignoring Mettaton’s protest she placed them in her hair. Mettaton blushed a bit, “My goodness darling! You look absolutely beautiful~”  
Ryou blushed, “This is really embarrassing…I mean…I love the dress but…” She looked away. “It feels like too much.”  
Mettaton grinned at her, “Come now, tell me you don’t wish to see the look of shock and lust in the eyes of that bag of bones you call a boyfriend?”  
Ryou laughed, “I didn’t think of that.”  
“You look positively to die for, dear. I wouldn’t doubt he would turn to jelly just looking at you.” He giggled. “I must let the photographer you’re ready, I’ll be right back.” He stepped out of the room, leaving Ryou alone.  
She sighed and shook her head; she honestly didn’t want to do all of this. But at the same time she had never felt so dolled up before. She looked down at her scar and sighed, she took a few dabs of foundation and covered the scar as best she could.  
Before long Mettaton came back and offered her his arm. She took it and he led her out to the set. She could see the background she would be placed against and she smiled, behind the curtains wrapped in golden rope was a dark blue sky drop with a vast number of stars glinting on it. The floor on the set was a deep red, darker than her dress. She was left standing on the platform and awaited instructions.

Sans yawned as he waited for Ryou to come out of the dressing room. He was a little upset she had agreed to do this but he let it go. Mettaton had one thing very right, she was beautiful. No matter what she wore or did, she was the most precious thing to him. She was strong willed and powerful to match, she was kind and caring, funny and even a little dramatic. He didn’t just love her…he was IN love with her.  
“Alright everyone! We’ll be starting in just a moment!” Mettaton yelled out to everyone before returning to the dressing room.  
Papyrus jumped up and smiled, “LET’S GET A BETTER LOOK!”  
Sans shrugged and smiled down at Frisk, “That’s our que, kiddo.” He chuckled. Frisk nodded with a smiled and took his hand. He let her lead him to Papyrus where they could overlook the set.  
Sans had to double take. From head to toe Ryou looked like a whole new person, she didn’t look just like the woman he loved; she looked like passion in human form. Her dress was clinging to every curve, bump, and line of her body, sensual curves just barely hidden behind the fabric. One side the dress split up her leg to her hip and the fabric flowed down to her beautifully curved calves. She was blushing, obviously embarrassed, but the determination in her eyes looked like hot flames burning deep inside of her. He felt a longing to feel her, to touch her just once to make sure the being standing before everyone was real.  
When her gaze landed on him, he felt like the world froze. He felt like he was sweating, she looked too god damn perfect to look away. Before long she broke away from his gaze and the world began to move once more. Papyrus was giving him a strange look, Sans hadn’t realized he was holding onto Papyrus for support. He let out the air he was holding and let his brother go.  
“ARE YOU ALRIGHT SANS?”  
“Yup…never better.” He tried to sound calm but his voice was hoarse so he just nodded and continued to take deep breaths. She was instructed to pose multiple times, mostly standing but a few were taken lying on her back. She looked beautiful in red…  
The photos took much longer than Ryou was led to believe, Mettaton kept interrupting and making her pose strangely. She had managed to do them as instructed, even if a few had her sweating and struggling to stay still. After almost two hours it was over.  
Mettaton applauded her, “My dear you have done wonderfully, I think you should keep the dress.”  
Ryou stared at Mettaton, “Oh gosh, I couldn’t…”  
“Nonsense, it is a gift from me to you as thanks for the photos! One of these lucky images will be posted in my magazine!” He giggled and leaned in closer. “I don’t know if you saw the look on his face…priceless.” He whispered glancing at Sans. “I should remember to take a picture of him next time I dress you up.”  
Ryou laughed, “I had a lot of fun, but I think I’m okay on the modeling…” She admitted and gave him a small smile.  
Mettaton nodded, “I know the spotlight is terrifying, I have had my fair share of fame so I’m quite used to it. But you have so much talent! Singing, modeling, oh my goodness I wonder if I could get you into acting!~”  
Ryou looked towards Sans with a pleading look, he walked over and took her by the waist, “I think she’s had enough for now, Mettaton.” Sans chuckled.  
Ryou smiled weakly, “I would love to have you over for dinner sometime…I know you’re normally busy but I know Papyrus would enjoy spending more time with you.”  
Mettaton blushed and looked to Papyrus, he fanned himself, “I do love that boy~” He thought for a moment then smiled. “I’ll see what my schedual is like next week and we can set something up. I’ll let Papyrus know the details and he’ll relay them to you.”  
Ryou nodded, “I’m looking forward to it.” She looked at Sans, he looked disgusted again. She assumed from Mettaton’s words of affection towards Papyrus. “Thanks again, I’ll have to find a time to wear this.”  
Ryou walked into the dressing room and began to changed back into her other clothing. She didn’t bother fixing her hair or makeup, since they had taken so much time to make her look like this she didn’t want to insult them. She was pulling the dress off when she felt a familiar hand on her hip. She smiled, “This is a dressing room dear, not our bedroom.” She giggled.  
“You look really beautiful in red.” He murmured softly. He let her go and looked around the room, picking up what looked like a cowboy hat. “Do I want to know when Mettaton would need this?”  
Ryou laughed as she pulled her shirt on, “I’m sure he’s got plenty of uses.”  
Sans looked around a moment longer when he found something strange. He picked it up and looked at it over; it was a picture of Papyrus with a big smile and a thumbs up. Confused he turned it over, there was a note.  
“DEAREST METTATON, I LACK THE RIGHT WORDS TO SAY TO YOU AS NONE CAN DESCRIBE WHAT I FEEL IN MY HEART. I LOVE WATCHING YOU ON STAGE, POURING YOUR HEART OUT TO ALL OF YOUR FANS, AND I FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE BECOME A BIG PART OF MY LIFE. YOUR COOKING SHOWS INSPIRED ME TO BECOME A BETTER COOK, AND YOU HAVE INSPIRED ME TO BECOME A GREATER PERSON. I AM CHASING MY DREAMS, ALL BECAUSE I WAS INSPIRED BY YOU. I HOPE ONE DAY TO MEET YOU AND SHOW YOU HOW MUCH YOU MEAN TO ME, HOW MUCH YOU’VE DONE FOR ME.  
I WILL PROVE MYSELF TO YOU! I PROMISE, YOU WILL BE MOST IMPRESSED!  
-THE GREAT PAPYRUS!  
Sans looked up at Ryou, his eyes were watery, “I’ve never seen Papyrus write anything like this…” He looked back at the photo and chuckled. “My brother’s such a nerd.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anybody who didn't get the joke above, it was a play on late periods...because we all know what that means lol


	20. Honesty is a Good Moral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SO FRIGGEN EXHAUSTED!   
> BUT! I pushed through my exhaustion to bring you the next chapter and DAMN...  
> Anyway...LOL's all around!  
> *falls on the floor ans starts snoring*

Ryou had been invited out with Toriel to go grocery shopping, leaving Sans alone with Papyrus and Frisk. They had set up a pillow fort in the living room so they could watch Movies and eat junk food comfortably. Sans watched while Papyrus and Frisk did a few puzzles, he joined them a few times when they brought out a board games, but really kept to watching the movie and relaxing. When Frisk curled up for a nap, Sans found it a good opportunity to speak to his brother.  
“Hey Papyrus, can I talk to you about something?”  
Papyrus looked up; he had a dab of chocolate on his face and smiled, “OF COURSE!”   
Sans chuckled and wiped the candy from Papyrus’s face, “Well, for one I think we’re done with the candy. And I wanted to talk to you about Mettaton.”  
Papyrus pouted and glared at Sans, “I’M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND LET YOU LECTURE ME AGAIN.”  
Sans shook his head, “No, I uh…” He fumbled for the words. “I just...I want you to be happy Pap…I love you, and I want you to have everything you need. I’ve always been the one providing for us…now that you’re old enough to make your own mistakes and decisions I guess I’m a little worried…if you and Mettaton end up together, you won’t need me anymore.” He looked away in embarrassment. “You’re my little brother, I know Ryou wouldn’t come between us but…when I think of Mettaton, I can’t help feeling like you’re already slipping away.” He rubbed his face to find he was crying. “Damn it.” He grunted trying to wipe them away.  
“SANS…”  
“I know Mettaton means a lot to you, bro…and I know I’m sounding weird but I’m just so scared I’ll lose you too.”   
“SANS, LOOK AT ME.” Sans looked up to see his brother’s watery eyes. “YOU KNOW THAT’S NOT TRUE. YOU KNOW I WOULDN’T EVER LEAVE YOU LIKE THAT, YOU MAY BE A PAIN SOMETIMES BUT YOU’RE MY BROTHER. AND I LOVE YOU TOO, SO THERE’S NO REASON FOR YOU TO BE AFRAID! I CAN BE WITH METTATON AND STILL BE AROUND WHEN YOU NEED ME! I AM THE BEST BROTHER EVER AFTER ALL, WHERE WOULD THAT TITLE GO IF I’M GONE?”  
Sans chuckled, his eyes were overflowing and he crawled to his brother’s side and hugged him, “I’m happy to hear you say that…”  
“WHAT BROUGHT ALL OF THIS UP?”  
Sans blushed a bit and chuckled, “I uh…found your picture with the love letter in the dressing room yesterday.”  
Papyrus’s eyes widened, he looked flustered, “W-WHAT?! OH NO…DID YOU…READ IT?! YOU READ IT, NYOH HO HO!” He cried. “THAT WAS PRIVATE!”  
Sans raised a brow at his brother, “Uh…it was just a little love letter Papyrus, it wasn’t anything that bad.” He paused. “Wait…you mean you’ve written something worse?”  
Papyrus’s face flushed and he hid under the blanket, “I’M NOT TELLING YOU!”  
“Papyrus.” Sans said sternly. “What kind of letters are you sending Mettaton?”  
Papyrus looked out of the blanket at Sans, “M-METTATON CALLS THEM…P-PRIVATE LOVE LETTERS…S-SOMETHING I SHOULDN’T SHARE WITH ANYONE…BUT HIM AND MYSELF.”  
“Show me.”  
Papyrus looked stricken but he got up and walked to his room, before long he brought one to Sans and handed it to him. Papyrus looked absolutely ashamed.  
Sans began to read.

Ryou had just gotten back to the house. She was exhausted, her arms were full of heavy grocery bags and she stumbled up to the steps. She yawned and set the bags down to open the door when she heard Sans start screaming. She rushed in and blinked as she looked at Sans who was standing across the room from Papyrus and holding a letter in his hand. He looked disgusted and terrified.  
“T-T-This is what you guys have been sending to each other?!” Sans cried. He was blushing heavily and sweating.   
“WELL THERE’S A REASON THEY’RE CALLED PRIVATE, SANS!”  
“What the hell is going on?” Both brother’s turned to her and Sans ran to her side.   
“Please tell me I was reading this wrong.” He begged ad shoved the letter into her hands.  
Ryou read only the first two lines, her face turned red, “Sans…that’s not something you should be waving around, give that back to your brother.”  
Sans looked at Papyrus who was shuffling awkwardly to Sans and held out his hand without looking at him. Sans gave him the letter and wiped his hand on his shirt, “Oh my god there are words in there I didn’t even know you knew.”  
Papyrus glared down at Sans, “WELL DON’T ACT SO INNOCENT YOURSELF SANS, DON’T THINK I DIDN’T HEAR YOU TWO BEFORE.”  
Ryou turned beat red and Sans stood frozen in place, “W-What?”  
Papyrus grinned down at Sans, “DON’T THINK I DIDN’T HEAR ALL THE LEWD SOUNDS YOU BOTH WERE MAKING, THESE WALLS AREN’T SOUND PROOF.”  
Sans whole body seemed to turn blue. He looked like he was steaming in place, “I…I…I don’t…”  
Ryou turned and began to bring in groceries without adding any comment to that. She was practically running back and forth until everything was brought in.   
Frisk was now awake and had walked up to both of the brothers and signed, “What does lewd mean?”  
Both brothers stared down at Frisk with a horrified look on their faces, “Uh…well…” Sans chuckled and looked away.  
Papyrus cleared his throat and wrung his hands, “IT’S SOMETHING…UH…WELL…OH GOODNESS HOW DO I PUT THIS…”  
“Frisk, you’re not old enough to understand. Trust me, it’s better you don’t know.” Ryou said smiling. “Come on, I’ll make you some cookies.”  
Frisk smiled wide and bounded into the kitchen. Ryou glared at both the brothers, “Please remember there’s a kid here. I don’t want to have Toriel asking me where Frisk learned that.” She turned on her heel and walked after Frisk to start making the cookies.  
Sans looked up at Papyrus, “I guess I shouldn’t complain. I mean…you’re an adult…you’re happy right?”  
Papyrus nodded, “I AM HAPPY…ARE YOU HAPPY?”  
Sans looked back to the kitchen, “Yeah…I’m pretty happy myself.”  
He looked back to see Papyrus smiling down at him, “THEN THAT MAKES ME TWICE AS HAPPY!”  
Sans laughed, he hugged his brother once more before heading into the kitchen. Papyrus stared after his brother and down at the letter, “YOU ALL MAKE ME HAPPY.” He murmured and smiled happily.

Ryou had made herself a cup of tea while everyone went back to watching their movies. She didn’t feel like doing anything today. Stirring her tea slowly she could see her reflection in her cup; she let the ripples still to see more clearly. She smiled at herself, despite everything, she was still herself; even after Chara’s momentary take over she was still herself.  
She took a long sip and sighed; she needed something to do. She got up from her seat and opened one of the drawers in the kitchen to find a few pencils and some blank paper. Taking them back to her seat she set them around herself and began to rough sketch Aiden. She wanted something to remind herself, to remember that he was real.  
As she sketched she noticed how much like Sans the child looked, the eyes really did it. She smiled at her picture for a while before she felt someone looking over her shoulder. She blushed and looked back, Papyrus was smiling. “I DIDN’T KNOW YOU COULD DRAW! IT LOOKS AMAZING! WOWIE, I WISH I COULD DRAW LIKE THAT!”  
Ryou giggled, “It’s a hobbie…well, I haven’t drawn like this in a long time.” She looked back at the picture.  
“IF YOU DON’T MIND MY ASKING…WHO IS THAT?”  
Ryou felt a shudder run up her spine and nerves ball in her stomach. She looked back at Papyrus and bit her lip, “Uh…just someone from my dream.”  
“SO COOL!” Papyrus smiled wide, “WELL I’M COOKING DINNER TONIGHT! IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’RE FEELING HUNGRY FOR?”nRyou clicked her tongue a moment as she thought, Papyrus frowned, “UH…WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”  
“Thinking of the PASTAbilities.” She said shooting him a big grin. She heard Sans’s laughter from the fort in the living room.  
Papyrus groaned, “SANS! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH RYOU? THIS ONE’S MAKING PUNS LIKE YOU.”  
“I swear I’m not an imPASTA.” Ryou giggled.   
Papyrus threw up his hands, “STOP THAT!”  
“Oh Pap, you’re so fusilli.” She was holding back the tears in her eyes from laughing so hard.  
“I WISH I COULD GO BACK AND MAKE SANS NEVER TELL ANOTHER JOKE.”  
Sans walked in holding his sides and panting from laughter, “But Pap,” He chuckled. “One who forgets the pasta is doomed to reheat it.”   
Everyone burst into laughter and Papyrus slammed his head on the counter in frustration, “I SHALL MAKE YOU THE SPAGHETTI, IF YOU PLEASE STOP MAKING PUNS!” He begged.  
Ryou nodded, calming down from her laughter, “I’m sorry Pap, do you need any help?”  
He shook his head, “FOR RISKING LISTENING TO MORE JOKES, I WOULD RATHER YOU ALL STAY IN THE LIVINGROOM!” He turned in his heel to put on his apron.   
Ryou leaned back in her chair, “I’m sorry Papyrus.” She giggled.  
Sans looked at the sketch on the table and leaned over Ryou’s shoulder to get a better look, “Who is that?”  
She looked back at Sans with wide eyes and turned the page over to hide it, “I just did a rough sketch of Aiden.”  
Sans nodded to himself, “He looks…familiar.”  
Ryou’s eyes widened and she coughed, “RIGHT! Well, anyway, it’s not important right now so let’s go to the living room?” She got up from her chair and virtually dragged Sans back into the living room.  
“Whoa babe, okay! I can walk you know!” He laughed.   
She turned, “Let’s rough house a bit.”  
Frisk was bouncing on the couch, “MAGIC!” She signed.  
Ryou raised a brow, “Magic?”  
“I can do that, let’s be careful not to break anything. I haven’t wrestled with anyone since me and Pap were kids.” He rolled his shoulders and his eye glowed. “I’m a lot stronger than I used to be.”  
Ryou grinned, her own eyes glowing, “Don’t worry, I’ve wrestled with you before.”  
He took a moment to question what she meant when his soul turned pink and he slammed into the ceiling, “WHOA!” He gasped looking down at Ryou. “So your power is like mine, but instead it’s like antigravity? Also, pink looks better on you then me.”  
“Whatever, pink looks really good on you.” She snickered. Sans glared but grinned, Ryou’s soul turned blue and she fell flat to the floor. “OOF!”  
“Blue goes nicely with your eyes.” He laughed.   
She glared and used her magic to drop him and he landed on the floor with a thud, “Ow.” He wheezed, but used this opportunity to jump on Ryou, pinning her down. They rolled around, flipping the other over only to get pinned down again until Sans had Ryou pinned by her wrists to the floor. She struggled, “Cheater!”  
He shrugged, “I don’t see a downside to this.”  
She squirmed more, “For a skeleton, you sure are heavy!”  
“You know, that’s funny because we’re just monsters that look like skeletons. Fun fact, you should talk to Alphys more.” He chuckled.  
Without warning Frisk jumped on Sans, knocking him off Ryou, breaking his concentration. She bolted upright. Sans managed to break away from frisk to teleport a few feet from Ryou. They were panting a bit, sweat was beading on Sans’s forehead and he was positioned to move any second.   
With a flash of pink and blue Ryou found herself in a floating blue bubble and Sans found himself in a pink floating bubble opposite her. They stared at each other in confusion then started laughing.  
Papyrus came into the living room, “DINNER IS DO-“ He paused at the sight of Ryou and Sans laughing hysterically floating around the room in bubbles. He had his mouth open to speak but the words fell short. Frisk was using her hands to bounce them up higher, giggling when they bounced back down to her waiting hands. Papyrus began to laugh, “WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING IN HERE?”  
Ryou managed to calm herself enough to speak, “We’re stuck in bubbles.”  
“DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE?”  
“Yes please!”   
Papyrus took a fork out of his scarf and walked up to Ryou, poking her bubble. It popped and Papyrus caught her before she hit the ground. He went to Sans and repeated. Once they were out of the bubble Ryou grinned at Sans, who nodded back at her. Papyrus raised a brow, “WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOINNNGGGG!” Ryou and Sans tackled Papyrus to the ground and hugged him. “NYAH! THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAS BEEN PINNED DOWN! RUN FRISK! SAVE YOURSELF!” He laughed, Frisk was giggling behind the couch.  
Sans chuckled, “We love ya Pap.”  
Ryou nodded, “You’re our master chef Papyrus.” Frisk jumped into the hug and giggled. “Speaking of which, I’m starving.”  
Sans looked over at Ryou, “You want to finish this match later?”  
“Of course.” She said getting to her feet. She helped the brother’s up. “Let’s eat.”

Ryou woke up out of another nightmare, her eyes were watering and she felt nauseated. Was there no end to watching Chara kill Aiden? Over and over again she had woken up sweating and in tears, but she couldn’t stand this feeling aching in her stomach.  
She had to find Flowey…  
She pulled her phone out and slowly crept into the hallway. She peeked into Papyrus’s room to make sure he was asleep. He was snoring softly in his racecar bed. She walked back to make sure Sans was still asleep, he was sprawled on the sheets snoring like his brother. She smiled a bit and closed the door. She tiptoed down to the kitchen and opened her contacts. She called Undyne.  
There was a long few rings before someone answered, “Hello?”  
“U-Undyne? It’s Ryou…I need your help.”  
There was a shuffle on the other end, “Are you okay?”  
“No…I keep having these horrible nightmares. Chara always appears in them and it’s driving me crazy.” She held a hand to her head. “Papyrus made me a cake the other day…when I picked up the knife I felt…something evil. Like if I held on for too long I would hurt someone, does…that make sense?”  
Undyne was quiet a moment, “Do you think you could catch a ride on the ferry to my house? We can talk about it here, I’m sure Sans and Papyrus are asleep.”  
“Yeah, I’ll be there in a few.” She said and hung up the phone. She turned to get her boots to find Sans standing behind her. She held back a scream and took a deep breath. “Jesus Sans, don’t do that.”  
He stared at her for a long while, “Are you okay?” He finally said.  
She walked past him, “I’m alright, I’m heading over to Undyne’s.”   
“What for?”  
She looked back at him as she slipped on her boots, “To talk.”  
He folded his arms, “Right now?”  
She nodded, “I…need to talk to her, I think she might be able to help me.”  
“This is about your nightmares…right?” He took her hand in his and turned her to face him.  
She couldn’t look him in the eyes, keeping the truth about Aiden was painful, but she couldn’t say it. She bit her lip and nodded.  
“Why won’t you look at me?” He asked softly. “Is there something you want to tell me?”  
She could feel the fear rushing up her spine, how did he keep doing that? “S-Sans…I…I have to go.”  
There was a long pause before he let her go and took a step back, “Do you need me to go with you?”  
She shook her head, “I’ll be back soon…” She glanced at him. The look on his face was a mix of worry and what she believed to be hurt. She groaned and pulled him to her, she squished his face to her chest and she sighed, “I’ll…tell you soon…I promise I’ll tell you, but for now Sans, please...I can’t.”  
He nodded and hugged her tightly, “Please be careful.”  
She nodded, “I’ll do my best.” She gave him a smiled and walked out the door and into the cold. She felt a guilty ping in her stomach, but she pushed the feeling away and walked to the ferry.  
The River man stood there humming, Ryou wondered if they ever went home. “Tra la la, oh! Hello, are you here to ride the ferry?” They asked.   
Ryou nodded, “Waterfall, please.”  
“Climb aboard.” They giggled. Ryou climbed into the boat and sat down. She felt it rock as it sped away towards Waterfall. “Hmm…I should’ve worn a few more pairs of pants today.”  
Ryou eyed the River man, their voice made it hard to tell their gender, but the way they spoke made her skin crawl. They reminded her of something she read a long time ago. Ryou cleared her throat, “Excuse me…what is your name?”  
“My name?...It doesn’t really matter…” They said looking ahead.  
Ryou pouted a bit but persisted, “I think it does.”  
She could hear the person giggle, “Why not give me a name, I’m sure you can think of a good one.”  
She remembered the name clearly, “How does Charon sound?”  
She heard a small gasp, “Tra la la.” They sang, then giggled. “Curious, why choose that one?”  
“It’s the name of the ferryman who would carry the souls of the dead to the underworld.” She bit her lip. “Since you’re a ferryman…I thought it was a good name.”  
“A wise choice.” They giggled and pushed up to the dock. “We have arrived.”  
Ryou got off the ferry and smiled, “Thank you…Charon.”  
“Let me know if you would like another ride. Tra la la.” They sang and waved.  
Without a moment to lose Ryou walked up to Undyne’s house and knocked on the door. The door immediately opened and Undyne pulled Ryou inside. Ryou looked around to see Alphys at the kitchen table drinking what Ryou assumed was soda. Undyne closed the door and led Ryou to the kitchen, “You want something to drink?” Undyne asked with a smile.  
“Uh…tea please.” Ryou said sitting opposite from Alphys. “Evening Alphys.”  
Alphys smiled sleepily, “I-It’s nice to see y-you.” She yawned and smiled back at Undyne.  
Undyne poured the tea and brought Ryou the mug, “Okay, start spilling.”  
“My nightmares started almost two weeks ago. It would start out with me waking up to a little boy calling me mommy…” She hesitated. “He’s come from his room because of a nightmare.”  
“Wow, that’s weird.” Undyne said then chuckled nervously. “Uh…well for me.”  
“I can never move my body, it always moves on its own. I would hold him and comfort him…he tells me his nightmare is about Flowey and Chara…and that’s when Chara rushes into the room and stabs him in my arms. I…can always feel the blood on my hands…the screams in my throat…A-Aiden crying in pain…” She felt sick again.  
Alphys looked horrified, Undyne clenched her fists, “Holy shit, dude…I’d kick her ass for that!”  
“I always wake up right after, but…I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to endure this.”  
“It’s not real…right?” Alphys asked.   
Ryou blushed, “No…it was very real. I…” She struggled for the words. “He’s going to be real…”  
“Wait…the kid in your dream?”  
Ryou nodded slowly and rubbed a hand over her eye. Alphys thought hard for a moment then gasped, “Wait are you p-pregnant?!”  
Ryou’s eyes widened, “No!”  
Alphys shook her head, “I-I’ve heard of this before, it’s not really uncommon for women to have dreams about their unborn children…I wonder, if the same is happening to you.”  
Ryou felt the blood draining from her face, “I…”  
“We can check.” Undyne said smiling.  
“How?” Ryou asked, she knew about pregnancy tests but doubted the underground even had things like that.   
“I’m sure Alphys has something at her lab. Right?”  
Alphys blushed but nodded, “I can…check for y-you if you like. We’ll just need to take a quick run to my lab.”  
Ryou felt nervous but agreed, “S-Sure.” Great now she was stuttering.  
They took the ferry to Hotland and entered the lab. Ryou remembered what Sans told her, her father used to work in this very lab. She wondered if Gaster could see her now. “Okay, follow me and I’ll get y-you set up.” Alphys said and walked into another room. They walked down some stairs and into a darker part of the lab.   
Ryou shivered, “This is the rest of your lab? This place is really creepy.”  
Undyne laughed, “Don’t be such a weenie!”   
Ryou glared at her but shrugged, “I’ll admit dark laboratories freak me out.”  
Alphys led them to a small room with a few cushioned tables in the middle of it, a ton of lab equipment lined the walls, “Go ahead and lay down on one of them.” Alphys said with a smile, flipping on a light switch.  
Ryou dusted one of the tables off and hopped up onto it, “Comfy.” She said squishing the padding with her fingers.  
Undyne sat in a chair and folded her arms, “Okay, so now that we’re here, what comes next?”  
Alphys brought a large machine on wheels next to Ryou and plugged it into the wall. The machine lit up but the screen was black. Ryou raised a brow, “Isn’t something supposed to be on the screen?”  
Alphys nodded, “T-This m-machine is made to v-view…i-inside you.”  
Ryou felt sick suddenly, “That sounds really painful.” She admitted with a shudder.  
Undyne nodded, “How does it work?”   
“Lay down and I’ll demonstrate.” Alphys said dusting off the rest of the table. Ryou turned and lay on her back, the table was a lot more comfortable than it looked. “Okay, lift up your shirt.”  
Ryou stared at Alphys but lifted her shirt up to her bra, “This good?”  
“Yeah, now…u-unbutton your pants.” She blushed and looked away.  
“What the hell Alphys.” Undyne giggled.  
Ryou unbuttoned her pants, “Okay…now what?” She felt more than uncomfortable.  
Alphys nodded, “P-Perfect, um…this might be a little cold.” She said picking up what looked like a bottle of lotion, but instead of lotion it squirted a green oozing gel. It was freezing.  
Ryou hissed, “OH THAT’S COLD!”   
Undyne snorted, “Don’t be a baby.”  
Ryou glared at her but clamped her mouth shut. Alphys giggled and picked up what looked like a white flat microphone and pushed it to Ryou’s stomach. She moved it around a bit until the machine lit up a bit. The room went eerily silent as they stared at the screen.  
“What the hell is that?” Ryou felt her heart racing. On the screen surrounded by a small white shadow was a tiny ball the size of a dime.  
“It looks like a little peanut!” Undyne barked out a laugh.  
“A-Alphys? What is that?” Ryou asked, she felt all of the color in her face draining, her stomach lurched and she shuddered.  
“Um…if I’m looking at it r-right…that’s a-“  
“YOU ARE PREGNANT!” Undyne howled with laughter.  
“Undyne this is serious!” Ryou hissed.  
“B-But she’s right…you are.” Alphys said looking back at the screen. “It’s alive and looks healthy too.”  
Ryou felt like she was going to faint, “Okay this is…that can’t…oh god…”   
Alphys was blushing but Undyne was on the floor laughing, “YOU AND SANS ARE GOING TO-“ She immediately stopped laughing. “Oh my god…SANS is gunna be a DAD.”  
Undyne’s eyes were wide, her smile was gone and she looked a little worried. Alphys cleared her throat, “I’ll print you a picture if you like.”  
Ryou nodded without thinking and Alphys went to the computer across the room. A few moments later she brought back the picture. “N-Normally when people find out these t-things they get excited, b-but you look horrified.”  
Ryou ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath, “This is bad…”  
Undyne handed Ryou a few paper towels, “Here, clean up and we’ll go upstairs.”  
After cleaning herself up and fixing her clothes they all walked back up to the bright and slightly messy white lab. Ryou had her hood on to hide her eyes. This was bad…this was really really bad…if she was…then Chara could…  
“Are you going t-to be okay?” Alphys asked handing Ryou a cup of water.  
“I hope so…” Ryou mumbled.   
Undyne folded her arms and struggled to find the right words, “…How are you going to break the news to Sans?”  
Ryou stiffened and hid deeper in her jacket, “I…I don’t know.”  
“I would try to ease h-him into the news…” Alphys said nervously.  
Undyne shook her head, “Psh, he’s not as lazy and fragile as we thought Alphys. He can handle this without a problem.”  
Ryou felt the world spinning, “I’m really tired guys…”  
“Oh! Of course, I’m s-sorry Ryou, I wish I could help more but at this point all you can do is be honest with him.” Alphys admitted.  
Ryou nodded, “Don’t tell anyone…for now let me process this.”  
“Get home and get some sleep.” Undyne said. “Need us to walk you home?”  
Ryou shook her head, “No, I’ll be fine.”  
While she rode the ferry home she looked down into the river and sighed. Charon giggled, “Tra la la, something bothering you?”  
Ryou shook her head, “A lot’s happened tonight…I just want to go home.”  
They hummed a moment, “I think honesty is a good moral to live by.”  
Ryou’s eyes widened but she stayed silent. Did they know? That was impossible, but...Ryou shook her head and smiled weakly at her reflection rippling in the water. “What if the truth makes everything worse?”  
“That’s the beauty of living, isn’t it? Not knowing the outcome of your actions until you become curious enough to try?” They giggled and the ferry stopped. “We are here.”  
Ryou stepped off and smiled, “Thank you…” She turned and walked back to the house.  
When she got inside the house Sans was sitting on the couch. She felt her nerves balling up again, “Were you waiting for me?”  
He turned to look at her, he looked tired, “Yeah…Undyne said you had something to tell me when you got home.”  
FUCK. “Uh…I guess…” She forced herself to walk to the couch and sit down. She reached into her pocket and placed her fingers over the picture. “I do have something I want to tell you Sans…but I’m so scared you’ll get upset or angry or…” She didn’t want to think about him leaving.  
“Don’t leave me in suspense babe, what’s going on?”  
“Well…when I got to Undyne’s Alphys was there…and after explaining my nightmare we went back to her lab…and…” She slowly pulled the photo from her pocket and handed it to him. She felt her face go red and she hid in the fluff of her jacket.   
Sans took it and looked it over. He stared at it for a long while, “I don’t get…what is this supposed to-“ His breath caught in his throat and his eyes slowly widened. The picture shook in his hand and his eyes shot to her. “Is this…is that a…”  
Ryou pulled the strings of her hoodie to hide her face more. She couldn’t look at him, she couldn’t face what was about to transpire. She just…couldn’t do it…  
“Ryou, look at me.”  
She felt tears in her eyes.  
“L O O K A T M E.”  
She gently pulled her hood back and looked at Sans, her gaze was misty due to the tears of fear clouding her eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat and she met his gaze. His eyes were wide, his usual smile was gone and he looked…surprised.  
“Tell me…exactly what I’m looking at.” He said slowly. “I want you to tell me.”  
She opened her mouth, tears rolled down her cheeks and she smiled, she couldn’t hold this in anymore, “Alphys took that picture…of what’s inside me…” Her voice was failing her. Sans’s eyes went void. “A p-picture…” She felt a sob rise in her throat. “A picture of Aiden.”


	21. The Best Advice Comes With Experience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> HOLY MOTHER OF JEEBUS I'M SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG OMG!  
> There was A LOT of drama going on at home + Trying to get my sleeping pattern back because I'm starting my classes again on the 4th...but uh...yeah O_O  
> Also, I didn't have...much time to proof read this so uh, Sorry? :"D   
> Have a cookie *throws cookies at everyone and runs*  
> (Happy Holidays/ Merry Christmas <3) 
> 
> http://s1306.photobucket.com/user/NinjaKitt3nz/media/Aiden_zpsy7ozixjr.png.html?sort=3&o=0  
> (AND THEN THIS ART HAPPENED! :D I decided to draw Aiden for the hell of it...but uh...If anybody wants to draw what they think Aiden looks like they are more than welcome to :'3)

Sans recovered after a moment, he looked back down at the picture. Ryou waited for him to get angry, yell, something…but he just stared at the photo in his hand. After a few moments of silence a big smile spread over his face, laughter bubbled up from him. Ryou stared at him for a long moment while he laughed, there were tears rolling down his face and he set the photo down to wipe his eyes with his sleeves as he calmed. “A picture of Aiden, huh? It looks like a little ball to me.”  
She puffed up a bit, “That little ball is your son, Sans.” She grumbled folding her arms.  
He shook his head a bit, “This is…a little much to take in, give me a moment.” He took a few deep breaths, rubbing his eyes. “I am awake…right?”  
Ryou clasped her hands together and sighed, “Well, what do you think?” She asked slowly, her voice little over a whisper.  
Sans blushed a bit and looked at the picture again, “Well I just found out I’m about to be a dad so…honestly I’m a little overwhelmed.” He chuckled. “I’m torn between screaming with joy and crying...with joy.” He clarified with a goofy smile.  
“Do whatever would make you happy.”  
Without hesitation he had his arms around her, he burrowed into the fluff of his jacket and let out a sob. Ryou was surprised that among the cries he was letting out he was laughing. She couldn’t help letting out a sob into his sweater, she was terrified but overwhelmingly relieved.  
Ryou hadn’t realized how loud they were being until Papyrus’s door opened and he walked out with his night cap on, “IS EVERYTHING OKAY? I THOUGHT I HEARD-“  
Sans’s head darted up and he turned to look at his brother, “Papyrus…” He gave his brother a huge smiled but continued to cry.   
Papyrus was startled, “SANS?!” He ran down to look his brother over. “ARE YOU OKAY?”  
Sans nodded, “I’m really okay…I’m…I’m more than that…” He said through his tears. “I’m overwhelmingly happy bro.”  
“IF YOU ARE HAPPY WHY ARE YOU CRYING?”  
Ryou wiped her eyes, curling up on the couch she watched while Sans scrambled to show his brother the picture, “Look Papyrus…look…I’m a dad…” He choked back a sob.  
Papyrus looked more than confused, “WHAT? THIS PICTURE LOOKS…IT LOOKS LIKE A BALL.”  
Ryou laughed, “That ball is still developing.”  
Papyrus ripped the picture from Sans and his eye sockets became like saucers, “IT’S ALIVE?!”  
Sans laughed hard and held his ribs, “Yes.” He managed out.  
“He’s in here.” She said rubbing her stomach.  
“YOU ATE SANS’S CHILD?!”  
Sans fell on his side and continued to laugh, Ryou stifled her own laughter, “N-No, Papyrus, he’s growing in there.”   
Papyrus blinked a few times as he processed, “I STILL DON’T FULLY UNDERSTAND…BUT I WILL NOT QUESTION IT!”  
Sans wiped his eyes, chuckling out that last bit of his laughter, “I love ya bro.”  
Papyrus scooped Sans up in a tight hug. When he released Sans he looked a little dazed, “SO…IF YOU’RE A DAD, WHAT DOES THAT MAKE ME?”  
“His uncle?” Ryou giggled.  
“UNCLE?” Papyrus slid his hand down his face as though stroking an invisible beard. “THE GREAT UNCLE PAPYRUS!” He chirped with a big smile.  
Ryou laughed, “I love it!”   
Sans smiled at his brother, his spectral heart was swelling with happiness, “Has a nice ring to it.”  
“I SHALL FOREVER BE PAPYRUS!” Papyrus stood and struck a valiant pose. “CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD! AN UNRIVALED SPAGHETOR AND MASTER CHEF! AND THE GREATEST UNCLE WHO EVER LIVED!” He smiled to himself proudly, then confusion spread over his face. “UH…WHEN DOES HE COME OUT?”  
“Um…I have no idea honestly…I’ve never had kids before and I have no idea how monster kids grow…” She bit her lip as she thought. “I’ll have to talk to Toriel, I’m sure she’ll know.”  
Sans yawned, “Sounds good to me.”  
Papyrus yawned after him, “WELL, LET US ALL GET TO BED AND DISCUSS ALL OF THIS TOMORROW.”  
Ryou nodded and got up, “Good idea, I’m really tired.” She yawned and stretched a bit.   
Sans stood up and stretched, “I’ll be up there in a moment, I need something to drink.”  
“I’ll be in the room then.” She said and made her way up the stairs. She glanced back at the brothers before she shut the door. She made her way to the bed and curled up against the pillows, she felt the weight lift from her shoulders, the burden that had been weighing her down melted away and she was left exhausted. Before long she was drifting to sleep, a rest she desperately needed.   
Sans waited until his brother returned to his room. Scrambling to get to the kitchen he pulled open one of the drawers and found the picture Ryou had drawn. He looked it over and then traced the line of the child’s face, “Is this…really happening?” He looked at the picture of the developing child and felt emotion overwhelm him. “You won’t get to know your grandfathers…or your grandmothers…” He chuckled bitterly and sighed. He placed the pictures in the drawer and went to the cupboard and grabbed a cup. Filling it with water he drank it down, the cool water soothing his dry mouth. He needed advice badly…  
Before long he walked up to his room and crawled into bed with Ryou. He couldn’t deny he was afraid, but he was also happy. Happy she finally told him…but why did she continue to look worried? He didn’t dwell on the thought before he drifted asleep, he would talk to her more about it in the morning.

Toriel brought Ryou a cup of tea and sat at the table with her. Sans was outside talking to Asgore while Ryou got some advice from Toriel. She needed help, and the only person she trusted to give her the information was Toriel. There was a long silence before Toriel giggled, “So, you two came over looking eager today.”  
Ryou nodded, “I uh…I have somethings I would like to talk to you about.”  
Toriel blushed and smiled, “You’re having a baby.”  
Ryou’s eyes widened and she stood up quickly, “How do you guys keep doing that? I haven’t even told anyone!”  
She laughed, “Oh dear, you don’t have to say anything to me. I could tell by that beautiful glow around you.”  
Ryou blushed and sat back down, “Oh,” She looked away then back. “I need some advice.”  
Toriel clasped her hands together, “Wonderful! I have plenty of wisdom for you, as a past and present mother, I know all of the things to do and not to do.”  
“Great! Uh…what do I do now? I don’t have any idea how to go about this…” She admitted with a sheepish smile.  
“Ah, well, from the looks of it you haven’t gotten morning sickness yet, so that will be the next thing for you to worry about.”  
“Morning sickness?” Ryou scrunched her face. “That sounds horrible.”  
Toriel nodded, “It is but it’ll be short lived. We will have to redecorate Sans’s room to make room for the baby…have you given any thoughts to names?”  
“Uh…Aiden…his name is Aiden.”  
Toriel smiled, “You’re sure it’s a boy?”   
Ryou nodded, “One hundred percent.” She laughed nervously.   
Toriel laughed, “Well, I won’t argue with you. How did Sans handle the news?”  
“Uh well…” She fidgeted with her sleeves a moment. “He took it well.”  
“Did he? That’s good to hear.” She sipped her tea and sighed. “I know Sans told me he’s afraid of children but…well, afraid is a strong word.” Toriel thought a moment. “He’s nervous about hurting them, it took his a while to be comfortable holding Frisk.”  
“I wonder what caused him to be so nervous around children.” She wondered.  
“He said it had to do with Papyrus when they were kids. He was afraid of hurting his brother, afraid of taking care of him. They were just little kids trying to make it in the world.”  
Ryou glanced towards the window, “That explains a lot.”  
“But he and Papyrus are older and much wiser than they used to be.” She giggled.   
Ryou remembered when she had lived with Toriel, but in this timeline…it was as though it never happened. She missed having little talks with her like this. She sipped her tea, it was golden flower tea and it tasted like honey. She licked her lips and sighed happily, “I missed your tea Toriel…”  
“I’m glad you like it,” She smiled then sniffed the air. “Is something burning?”  
Ryou could smell the smoke and nodded, “Are you baking something?”  
Toriel gasped, “My cookies!” She scurried to the kitchen, leaving Ryou giggling at the table. She hummed a few moments before she heard someone walk in. Ryou looked over to see Frisk standing in the hallways peeking out at her.   
“Hey buddy.” Ryou giggled and motioned for her to join.  
Frisk walked in slowly and sat beside her. She hesitated before signing, “What’s going on?”  
Ryou blushed, “Uh…well…” Frisk took Ryou’s hand and stared into her eyes, then smiled. Ryou felt her eyes welling with tears. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat, “I’m having a baby.”  
Frisk’s eyes lit up, clear happiness and excitement blossomed on her face and she threw herself into Ryou’s arms. Ryou held her for a moment, hugging her tightly before Frisk let out a sound. Ryou’s eyes widened, pulling back she stared down at Frisk. Frisk blushed and pulled on Ryou’s collar to get her to come closer. Ryou leaned in and for the first time she heard Frisk’s voice. It was barely a whisper, but she could hear her clearly, “H…Happy…” She said and hugged Ryou again. “H-Happy...for…y-you…”  
Ryou’s eyes widened and she gasped, “Frisk did you just-“  
“I saved them! They’re a little crunchier than normal but they’ll do.” Toriel giggled walking back into the room.  
Ryou turned to look at Toriel, “Oh! Good, I can’t wait to try them.” She looked back at Frisk and gave her a big kiss on the cheek.  
Frisk blushed and wiggled her way away from Ryou to run back down the hallway. Ryou laughed and turned back to her tea to take another drink, “I don’t think I’m ready for something like this…”  
Toriel sat down at the table, her smile fading, “You have to prepare for the best and worst being a parent…sometimes you do the things that make them happy, or do things that make them sad or angry. It’s the life of being a parent, guidance is always needed…even when it’s unwanted.” She giggled softly. “My son Asriel was always such a good boy…then Chara came. We loved him like our own child, but he was corrupted and angry, disowned and hurt by the very people he once called family. But what Chara didn’t understand was that when he came here, he could give up that life and start fresh…but he wanted so badly to…to hurt people that nobody could’ve made him see that.” She stirred her tea a bit, sadness crept onto her features. “Nobody should’ve hurt that boy, no matter what their reasoning was…he needed love…but our love wasn’t enough…”  
Ryou could see the tears in Toriel’s eyes, “Asriel…is…he’s not…gone.”  
Toriel looked up, “I’m sorry?”  
Ryou shifted, “When I was inside of Flowey…I met Asriel. He was so much like you, so kind and sweet. He was just looking for comfort and someone to talk to.”  
Toriel wiped her eyes, “Flowey…huh?”  
Ryou bit her lip, “I know it sounds crazy but-“  
“No, I believe it…Chara and Flowey work together, just like he did with Asriel.” She took a sip of her tea. “But Chara took his own life and had my son absorb his soul. He tried to get revenge on humanity by using my son…” Her eyes flashed red. “Killed my son for revenge…”  
Ryou bit her lip and looked away before she took a deep breath and sighed, “I’m going to find a way to save Asriel, I promise I will.”  
Toriel smiled, “Thank you, I know what you feel in your heart is genuine and I appreciate that you are willing to save him, even knowing the damage and pain he brought on you.”  
Ryou looked back at Toriel, her expression serious, “I will free him Toriel…I promised him I would help him and…I intend to keep that promise.”  
Frisk walked back into the room, she walked into the kitchen then came back out with a handful of cookies. She bounded up to Toriel and handed her a few then to Ryou. She handed her some and nibbled the one left in her hand. Ryou giggled at the look on Frisk’s face, like pure bliss as she devoured her cookie. Ryou grabbed one and took a bite; the taste of cinnamon and vanilla filled her mouth and she moaned, “Oh god Toriel where did you get the recipe for these? These are incredible!” She managed to shove another cookie in her mouth and she chewed.  
Toriel watched her with a smile, “Just a little homemade recipe I tried, I’m so glad they turned out okay.”  
Ryou nodded and bit into another cookie, “This almost rivals your butterscotch cinnamon pie.”  
“There’s no way-“Toriel took a bite and stared at the cookie in her hand, “Oh my…these are even better than I imagined.”

Sans sat with Asgore and sighed, rubbing the back of his head while he thought of what to ask. Asgore waited patiently with a smile, watering his flowers and humming to pass the time until Sans was ready. Sans felt his face flush and he chuckled, “This is a bit awkward…but I need some advice.”  
“Ah, what kind of advice do you seek?” Asgore asked, his back still turned to Sans.   
“Uh…well…um…” He began searching for the words. “You’re a father…what uh…what’s it like?”  
Asgore finished watering his flowers and turned to Sans with a big smile, “It is the greatest thing to have ever happened to me. I took care of Toriel until our son arrived, I was…afraid yet excited. I was worried I wasn’t going to be a good father, but the moment I held him in my arms I knew how much I loved him and the lengths I was willing to go for him.”  
Sans chuckled, “Sounds a little cheesy to me.”  
Asgore laughed, “Well yes, but it is true. Taking care of Frisk reminded me of that love I once held, the caring parent I once was…I have done many horrible things, things I and Toriel will never forgive, but I did it out of need to protect and avenge my child. I do not expect you to understand since you are not a parent.” He chuckled and set his watering can down then took a seat beside Sans.  
Sans fidgeted nervously and wrung his hands, “W-Well…that’s the thing.” He cleared his throat.  
“What do you mean?”  
He took a deep breath, “I’m about to be a dad myself.”   
Asgore’s eyes widened a little, “Oh my, I guess you came here for more than just a small question like that.”  
Sans nodded, the questions flowed out, “Well I wanted to know what to do for Ryou because honestly I’ve never had to take care of a pregnant woman before and honestly I never saw myself being a parent. I never really wanted to but…”  
“Now that it’s happening, what do you feel?”  
Sans thought a moment, “I’m afraid; afraid I’ll mess up and hurt them, or hurt Ryou.”  
Asgore chuckled, “That is always a fear a new parent has, you need to do what Ryou tells you to do, because when that baby comes she is the one who has to risk her life to bring them here.”  
“R-Risk? What do you mean risk?”  
“There is always risks with children, but Ryou is a healthy monster…human…ah…you get what I mean.” He chuckled. “She will pull through it beautifully.”  
Sans felt a nervous chill run up his spine and he shuddered, “What can I do for now?”  
“You can start by making sure she’s eating enough, making sure she’s sleeping enough. She will be sleeping a lot.” Asgore sighed. “Massages are good, her back and feet will be hurting.”  
Sans kicked himself for not bringing a notepad, “Okay, sounds easy enough.”  
“Remember to keep her happy and stress free…there are dire consequences to the child if she becomes over stressed.” He said holding up his hand to gesture. “There are women who have lost their children before birth because of stress, it is important to make sure she is happy…” Asgore coughed. “Don’t be surprised by mood swings, cravings, uh…u-urges…” He blushed and cleared his throat. “Near the end of her pregnancy she will go through a nesting period before the baby comes, Toriel used to scrub the house fifteen times a day before she was satisfied.”  
“Jeez, that sounds a little excessive.” Sans admitted.  
Asgore laughed, “Yes, but it is natural. When she goes into labor…well, you should call us and Dr. Alphys.”  
“Labor?”  
“It’s horribly painful from what Toriel said, she almost crushed my hand.” He chuckled. “But it’s the body contracting and getting ready to deliver. I should warn you to stay clear of the room when she’s delivering…” Asgore shuddered. “I couldn’t sleep for a week, Toriel’s screaming that day was a bit…unsettling.”  
“Why was she screaming?” Sans felt panicked.   
“Sans my boy,” He placed a hand on Sans’s shoulder and looked him dead in the eyes. “Childbirth is the single most painful thing a woman can and probably will ever go through in their life. The screaming is from the pain and the sheer determination to bring that life into this world. We as men can never understand, and to be honest I fear Toriel for her willpower and strength.”  
Sans felt like the world just exploded, “W….What do I do…when she does?”  
“You sit with the rest of us and wait…it could be a few minutes, it could be a few hours, it could be a whole day. It will be agonizing, it will be terrifying, but all you can do is be strong for her.”  
Sans nodded, he was sweating under the pressure. He felt like his bones were shaking, “I’m already shaking.”  
Asgore barked out a laugh, “No reason to be right now! Be joyous and excited! Go have some drinks and celebrate!”  
Sans shook his head, “No, I uh…think I want to stay by Ryou for today, start on that happiness thing.” He chuckled. “I think lunch would do her some good.”  
Asgore smiled, “If you need any more advice, please don’t hesitate to call and chat.”  
“T-Thanks.” Sans said standing. He dusted himself a bit before shaking Asgore’s hand and walking to the house. He felt like a nervous wreck but knew a lunch at Grillbyz would perk him up. Opening the door the smell of cookies wafted past him and he felt his hungry. When he walked into the living room he found everyone sitting and chatting. Ryou had Frisk in her lap, Frisk was smiling up at her and Ryou was laughing. Toriel was nibbling a cookie and then perked up when her gaze fell on Sans.  
“There you are, dear.” She giggled and held a cookie out for him.   
Sans took the cookie and chewed. Cinnamon and vanilla poured over his senses and he was dying for another, he savored every second then swallowed, “Whoa, Tori, what did you put in these?”  
She laughed, “Cinnamon and vanilla, they taste great, don’t they?”  
“Worth a lot of dough,” He chuckled then turned his attention to Ryou. “You want some lunch?”  
Ryou nodded, “Sure.”  
“Great, Grillbyz sound good?”  
Ryou snuggled Frisk and then let her go, “Sounds good to me.” She stood and looked to Toriel. “Mind if we take some of those cookies?”  
Toriel nodded, “Let me pack some up for you.” She got up and walked quickly to the kitchen, Frisk following her.   
Sans took the opportunity to embrace Ryou. Once she was wrapped up in his arms he felt at ease, “I’m…I’m so sorry you have to go through all of this…” He felt his voice failing him.   
“Why are you apologizing?” She laughed. “I’m not going through just because I have to.”  
“What?”  
“I’m excited…I’m happy.” She gave him a bright smile and Sans felt his chest tighten and a happy flutter replaced it. “So you don’t have to apologize.”   
He wanted to cry happy tears but held them back, “Heh, since you’re only half human, does that make your other half a Momster?”  
Ryou snorted, “Really?”  
“Does that make your favorite dog a momeranian?”  
Toriel laughed as she entered the room, “I used that one a long time ago.”  
Sans shrugged, “Eh, I work with what I got.”  
Toriel handed them the bag of cookies, “Be sure to message me when you’re home!”  
Ryou waved, “We will.” They walked out of the ruins and headed back to Snowdin, all the while San had his arm around Ryou’s waist. Ryou felt comforted with his arm there, she felt safe. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and kissed his cheek.  
Sans blushed and smiled at her, he loved her so much. Loved the little things she did, loved her quirky personality and devious nature…he loved her. He stopped walking to pull her face to his and kissed her. She was with him, she was safe…so why was there still a lingering fear in his heart?


	22. Time for the Hoolidays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes, it's that time of year again and omg I have never procrastinated a chapter so much in my life XD  
> But enjoy the events of Ryou's Christmas Eve party as a thank you for waiting X'3  
> Merry Hoolidays ;D (yes, I spelled it that way on purpose) lol  
> *throws self back into the trashcan*  
> Also: Holy cow guys, we made it to 1000 hits the other day but I forgot to say anything, in that time I had an extra 100 and I was just...I was overwhelmed with happiness. The fact people are enjoying this story really tells me that I have improved in my ability to write enjoyable content...oh gosh I'm a little emotional Q///Q thank you guys so much for your support!

It was almost Christmas in the underground, Ryou had spent the majority of the week getting food stocked for a Christmas dinner, decorating, and putting up the tree. She was pretty darn proud of herself. She hadn’t expected anyone to understand the human version, but she invited everyone to a Christmas eve party. After buying everyone gifts she had Sans take Papyrus out for some nice cream while she wrapped the gifts. She loved this holiday, she could remember back when her and her mother would bake together, exchange gifts, and sometimes play a few games before her mother went to work.  
When everything was wrapped and placed under the tree she went in to take a shower. Upon taking her clothes of she noticed the small swell of her normally flat stomach. She ran a hand over her belly, it wasn’t super noticeable but she knew with a few weeks’ time Sans would notice. She blushed and hopped into the shower. She relaxed under the gentle pulse of warm water, she had needed a moment to collect her thoughts. This would be her first Christmas in this timeline, the first one in a long time she wouldn’t be spending alone.  
She hissed as tears rolled down her cheeks, she wiped her eyes and let the water from the shower pour over her face. She didn’t want to think about all of her past pain, she was here now, here and pleasantly happy with Sans; a version of him who still loved her. She touched her stomach; Aiden was a result, the evidence of their love and a permanent one. “You’re going to be a heartbreaker, aren’t you?” She giggled and gently rubbed her belly.  
When she was done in the bathroom she dried off and dressed herself. She pulled on a white shirt and some jeans…though after realizing they were getting a little tight she huffed and decided on a red skirt instead. She lastly pulled on some white socks and then a pair of slippers she borrowed from Sans, they were what he had called his dress slippers as they were red on the outside and silky white on the inside. Making sure she was comfortable she walked out to find everyone downstairs. Papyrus, Sans, Undyne, Alphys, Toriel, and frisk were all there talking and gazing about the house. The tree Ryou decorated was alight and sparkling, the presents underneath glittered in their shiny red wrapping paper adorned with golden ribbon. Sans saw her coming down the stairs and gave her a questioning look.  
Ryou walked beside him, “Christmas is tomorrow, silly. I just got the house ready.”  
Sans nodded, “Yeah…you haven’t stopped talking about it.” He chuckled. “We bought a few gifts, Toriel and Frisk made lots of pie and other really good smelling food, as for Undyne and Alphys…”  
“We brought over what humans call Eggnog! We found this really awesome recipe book at the garbage dump the other day and were surprised by how freaking awesome human food sounds!” Undyne grinned and put an arm around Alphys. “We got Alcoholic and non for Frisk.”  
“Uh…I can’t drink right now though.” Ryou laughed softly. “I’m pregnant, remember?”  
Undyne smacked a hand to her forehead, “Damn it I forgot! Well there’s enough of the other stuff for both you and Frisk so no worries!” She let out a hearty laugh. “Boy that would’ve been rude of us, huh?”  
Alphys giggled, “N-no worries! M-Mettaton is bringing some presents and s-some food s-specially made for tonight so he should be here soon!”  
Papyrus overheard them and perked up, “O-OH! IS METTATON COMING?”  
Alphys nodded, “He said he had a few things f-for you when he got here.”  
Papyrus blushed and smiled happily, “WOWIE! REALLY? I CAN’T WAIT!”  
Undyne snickered, “Papyrus really likes that robot of yours, eh Alphys?”  
Alphys blushed, “W-Well they are d-dating.”  
“Do you think they’ve…you know-“  
Sans cleared his throat loudly and both girls stifled themselves, looking away as if nothing had been said. Sans wrapped an arm around Ryou’s waist and chuckled, “This was really nicely put together…though I’m not one for parties this is really nice.”  
“I’m glad you think so.” Ryou laughed. “But where’s Asgore?”  
Sans shrugged, “I would’ve assumed he would be here.” Ryou’s expression fell a bit. “What’s got your goat kid?”  
Ryou laughed but then soon calmed, “I’m sorry, I was a little saddened he wasn’t able to come.”  
Sans shrugged, “I’m sure he’ll show up soon enough.” He grinned at her.  
She eyed him, “Sans…?”  
His grin widened, “Yes?”  
The front door burst open and Asgore stepped in wearing a Santa Claus outfit, “HO HO HO!”  
Ryou stared in awe, “Oh.My.God.”  
Everyone cheered as he walked in with a giant sack full of presents. Frisk jumped up and down excitedly, clapping her hands and giggling. Toriel was laughing, “Oh Gorey, I haven’t seen you wear that in years!”  
There was a sudden flash of light outside the house, there was suddenly loud music playing, “Are you ready for Christmas darlings?” Everyone ran outside to see Mettaton lying on a piano with spotlights on him with Mettaton’s signature song playing. Ryou gawked at Mettaton’s attire, “Your idol has arrived!” He was wearing a Santa hat, red boots, red and white stockings, and a red and white dress. He threw a hand in the air. “Whose been naughty or nice this year?”  
Ryou looked to Papyrus, he had sparkles in his eyes. She blushed, all of Snowdin was now watching the bright and loud spectacle in front of Sans and Papyrus’s house. Sans had his hood over his face while he tried to calm his hysterical laughter, he was more than amused as well as everyone around them.  
Mettaton winked, “I have brought gifts for my friends~”  
When the lights died out Papyrus scooped Mettaton up into his arms and swung him around, nuzzling him; Ryou could hear Sans making an audible gaging sound and she frowned at him. He gave her a sheepish smile and shrugged. Ryou rolled her eyes, “Be nice.”  
Mettaton greeted everyone quickly before rushing up to Ryou, “Oh darling, you look radient in that dress tonight! But those slippers really put me off there.” He frowned. “Are your feet hurting?”  
Ryou nodded smiling, “A bit, yeah. I thought my boots could use a rest.”  
Mettaton gave Ryou a friendly smile, “Then I will allow you to wear them, you need to be comfortable!” Ryou smiled nervously past him at Sans who was staring daggers behind Mettaton, “Oh my, there is the weirdest chill running through me right now.” Mettaton shuddered. “Weird, I don’t get cold.”  
Ryou coughed and cleared her throat, “Well I’m sure it’ll be better inside the house.”  
Everyone walked back in the house and took to talking and playing around. Toriel looked happy to have Asgore in a Santa outfit. Asgore sat in a chair and held Frisk, laughing about how last year Frisk had chased him around the house trying to fight him, thinking he was a snow burglar. Undyne laughed, “Yeah, I remember you got drunk that night and flirted with a ficus for an hour too.” Everyone laughed.  
Toriel shook her head, wiping her eyes from her laughter, “Oh my goodness, I remember you Undyne trying to pick a fight with Papyrus, poor guy didn’t understand you were drinking either.”  
“I STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES!”  
Undyne laughed. Alphys blushed brightly and looked to Undyne, “O-Oh! Right, U-Undyne! This is our first…first Christmas together as a couple.”  
Undyne’s face turned red and she laughed a little softer, “Yeah! It totally is!”  
“About time.” Mettaton snickered.  
Ryou felt her feet aching and she slipped away from the group to sit on the couch, “Ungh…” She groaned. “Sitting is the best thing ever…”  
After an hour Papyrus announced that dinner was prepared, everyone scrambled to get a plate. Seeing the hungry monsters Ryou frowned and sighed, “I’m not waiting on aching feet for food right now.” She grumbled.  
“Well good because I got you some already.”  
Ryou looked up, “Oh! Nice timing.”  
Sans handed her a plate of food and sat beside her, “Do you need anything, babe?”  
Ryou blushed and shook her head, “Come on Sans, I’m pregnant, not crippled.”  
He shrugged, “I’m just trying to keep you happy.”  
She smiled at him, “You make me happy all the time.”  
“Heh…” He blushed and cleared his throat. “I uh…got you something…” He shifted a hand into his sweater and pulled out a little box. “I thought maybe…now was as good a time as any.”  
Ryou eyed the box closely, “S-Sans..?”  
He chuckled nervously and peeked at everyone in the kitchen. They all seemed distracted enough. He took a deep breath, “Okay…I can do this.” He murmured to himself and turned to Ryou. He looked deep into her eyes. “Ryou…I-I love you,” He was visibly shaking. “I w-wanted to ask you…”  
Her eyes widened as he opened the box to her. There, nestled in silken fabric was a ring, a blue crystal carved like a rose embedded in a silver band. She gasped, her plate slid onto the floor and she cupped a hand to her mouth. Sans took another deep breath, “R-Ryou…will…w-will you marry me?”  
The world stopped for a moment, Ryou couldn’t comprehend what was happening. She stared at the ring with wide eyes until Sans cleared his throat awkwardly, “I uh…need an answer babe.” He was sweating, doubt and fear passed over his features as Ryou’s hand dropped to her lap and she avoided his gaze.  
“Sans…”  
His eyes widened, had he…fucked up? Was it too early? “Y-Yeah?”  
She looked back at him with tears in her eyes and a wide smile, “Yes.”  
He choked a moment, “Did you…say…yes?”  
“Yes.” She repeated with a little sniffle and a weak laugh. She jumped into his arms. “Yes…yes, yes I will marry you!”  
“Oh my~”  
Sans and Ryou looked up to see all of their friends smiling at them from the kitchen. Sans blushed deeply and looked away, “Heh…did you guys watch all of that?”  
“Only the whole thing.” Undyne laughed.  
Alphys wiped her eyes, “S-So cute!”  
Ryou pulled back from Sans and held out her hand. Sans took the ring and slid it on her finger, it fit perfectly. Sans kissed her hand, tears dropped onto her skin and she gasped, “Sans are you alright?”  
He looked up at her, “For a second I…I thought you were going to say no.” He laughed.  
She pulled him to her and nuzzled into the crook of his neck, “I love you, I wouldn’t ever say no.”  
Sans placed a hand over her stomach, “If we are adding to our family I thought I should make it official.”  
Ryou laughed, “Okay, well since I got an early gift…you get one too.”  
Sans pulled back and raised a brow, “Do I?”  
She nodded, “Hold on, let me grab it.” She stood up and walked to the tree. She pulled a big box out from under it and went back to hand it to him. “Merry Christmas.”  
He looked at the box and slowly began to unwrap it. He opened the box and gasped, “No…way…” Inside were a few things; Ketchup, joke books, a parka, and a mug with an arrow pointing up at him with the words ‘ This Guy is the Greatest Dad Ever’ written on it. He held up the mug and laughed, “I love it.”  
Ryou smiled, “I’m glad.”  
The rest of the party went well, everyone had fun playing games, drinking, eating, and chatting. Papyrus and Mettaton had been talking all evening to themselves, Papyrus was happier than Ryou had ever seen him. They really did look really cute together. Mettaton seemed very shy and giggly around Papyrus, the only time he seemed unable to be his outgoing self was during times like this. Christmas really was bringing people together; friends, family, and couples coming together to celebrate the ending of the year.  
Ryou noticed Mettaton going in for a kiss, she could feel Sans tense and she took action. She turned Sans away and pressed a kiss to his mouth, virtually distracting him from the lovers across the room. He closed his eyes and leaned into her, before long they pulled away and he smiled, seeming to have forgotten the issue. She internally thanked her brain for taking action. Glancing at Papyrus and Mettaton they smiled to her in thanks and she shrugged.  
Frisk seemed burned out and had fallen asleep in their father’s arms, Asgore holding her happily and proudly. She envied Toriel for having such an adorable and well behaved child, turning her attention to Alphys and Undyne they were blushing and talking quietly to one another at the kitchen table.  
Before long everyone had a mug of cocoa and stories were being passed around. Everyone telling a funny story from the past until the spotlight landed on Ryou. She nervously asked to pass but was prodded by everyone to tell.  
“Uh…well…” She bit her lip. “I’m technically from the future…but it’s another timeline all together at this point.” She bit her lip. “Well, the funniest story I remember was the day Sans, Papyrus, and I went to the outskirts of Snowdin, got really drunk, and caused a bunch of mayhem.” She laughed. “I remember Sans had this idea that if he concentrated hard enough he could get Papyrus to turn into a dog. Well, there just so happened to be a dog in the area…” She giggled. “Well Papyrus had fallen down a hill when Sans had his eyes closed and the dog decided to stand in his place. When Sans opened his eyes he was convinced it worked but began freaking out because he wouldn’t turn back into Papyrus.”  
Everyone laughed, Sans wiped his eyes, “That must’ve been really ruff.”  
Ryou laughed, “Poor Papyrus was stuck on the side of the hill calling for help, Sans was convinced Papyrus was crying out for help in changing him back.”  
“Really Sans?” Toriel asked.  
Sans shrugged, “What? It’s not ME she’s talking about.”  
“When I finally got Papyrus to safety Sans was a sobbing mess in the snow, begging the world for his brother to go back to normal. Well, when he looked up and saw Papyrus he took ahold of him and begged Papyrus to forgive him.”  
Undyne howled with laughter, “That’s hilarious!”  
Ryou nodded, “It was a lot of fun.”  
Not long after everyone began to pack up, “We should be getting home, Frisk needs her bed.” Toriel giggled petting the child’s head.  
“Yeah. I have some research to do in the morning, b-but we will stop by later tomorrow!” Alphys reassured. “Undyne, you coming with o-or are you going home too?”  
Undyne shrugged, “I’ll stay with you tonight, Al.”  
Mettaton smiled at Papyrus, “I have a show in the morning dear…but I will be back here before you know it.”  
Papyrus pouted but then perked up, “OKAY, SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN!”  
Mettaton kissed him again and got up, “Thank you darlings for a lovely evening.”  
Ryou nodded, “See you soon!”  
Once everyone left Ryou checked the time and yawned, “Well…the party was a success…but I think I need to eat now. I kinda dropped my food on the floor.”  
Sans nodded, “I’ll get you some, stay here.” He got up and walked to the kitchen.  
Papyrus picked up around the house while Sans was busy and Ryou sat feeling a little useless. She wanted to help but her fatigue was unbearable. Once Sans came back she devoured the food; noodles, meat, vegetables, and bread stuffed her mouth. Sans cleared his throat, “Slow down or you’ll choke.” He chuckled.  
She stared down at the half empty plate and swallowed, “Oh…sorry I must’ve been a lot hungrier than I thought.”  
Papyrus smiled, “I MADE PLENTY! EAT AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE!”  
Ryou shook her head, “This is fine for now, I’m getting tired so once we’re all done we should head to bed before the Real Santa Claus comes.”  
Sans and Papyrus raised an eyebrow, “The real Santa?”  
“INDEED HUMAN, I DIDN’T KNOW HE WAS REAL!”  
Ryou nodded, “He’s the spirit of Christmas, of course he’s real.”  
Papyrus lit up, “O-OH! WOWIE! I BETTER HURRY TO BED BEFORE HE GETS HERE!”  
Sans chuckled, “Right, well let’s all head to bed.”

“MERRY CHRISTMAS!”  
Sans had Ryou in an iron grip, his magic swirled around them in a protective manner. Papyrus was in the doorway with a wide smile, “SANTA CAME! HE’S REAL SANS! LOOK! LOOK AT ALL THE PRESENTS!”  
Sans calmed down and released Ryou, “Papyrus, you need to be careful about coming in like that I almost attacked you.” He groaned.  
Papyrus mumbled an apology but his smile became wide again, “COME ON! LET’S GO SEE WHAT WE HAVE!”  
Ryou sluggishly got out of the bed, Sans followed but wrapped a blanket around himself. They walked to the top of the stairs to find the living room had gifts piled against the far wall. Ryou looked at Sans who shrugged, “Don’t look at me, I have no idea where all this came from.”  
They all piled into the living room and began to pass the gifts around. When everyone had their gifts they began to open them. Papyrus opened Ryou’s gift first; opening the box he pulled out a red and white stripped Christmas sweater, a bottle of cologne, a dark blue scarf, and black boots. Papyrus smiled happily, “WOWIE! THANK YOU RYOU! I LOVE THEM!”  
Ryou laughed, “I’m so glad.”  
Ryou began to open her gifts. There were two enormous wrapped ones, she started on those. Pulling the paper off revealed an oaken crib with white frilled padding and a soft baby blue blanket. She cupped her hand over her mouth, “Oh Toriel…” She whispered to herself. Sans looked over her shoulder and smiled, wrapping his arms around her.  
“That was nice of her.”  
Ryou nodded, “Oh gosh…” She pulled the paper off the other gift to reveal a matching changing table. Ryou blinked back tears and smiled, “How thoughtful.”  
Sans pulled Ryou back to their circle to continue opening their gifts. Ryou opened a box from Mettaton and peeked inside to find bundles of baby clothes. She pulled a teal onesie out and held it in her hands, Sans stared at it, “Is he really going to be that tiny?”  
Ryou laughed, “I hope so.”  
Papyrus had torn into his gifts. Books, comics, a toy sword, clothes, and a cook book lay beside him as he watched Ryou and Sans open their gifts. Sans finished next with a pile of joke books, ketchup, socks, jeans, new shoes, and a beanie. Ryou had mostly baby stuff, but a few things of clothes, candy, jewelry, and books sat beside her.  
“Is that everything?” Ryou asked looking around.  
Sans nodded, “Looks like it.”  
They all sat on the couch and drank cocoa for a while watching Mettaton’s Christmas special. Sans had his arm wrapped around Ryou’s shoulders and Papyrus leaned on Ryou’s other side. This had been a good Christmas, a wonderful end to the year…she wondered what would come in the next year. She didn’t bother thinking long when Sans nuzzled her and kissed her shoulder. She blushed with a smile.  
It didn’t matter to her what happened in the future, as long as Sans and their friends were there, she didn’t worry. Even if Flowey returned, they would be ready; hand in hand they would fight, win, and free Asriel from his prison. Ryou then thought of her dad and she frowned, she wouldn’t be able to speak to him until she fell asleep, but she knew he was listening.  
“Merry Christmas…Dad…” She murmured softly. “I’ll see you soon.”


	23. Just another Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OMG bullshit is coming guys! (Sorry for the late chapter I was out drinking and I got really sick...)  
> Happy new year! Enjoy your cliffhanger :'D (sort of)

Ryou opened her eyes slowly, she felt the odd hazy sensation in her head and she knew she was asleep. She sat up and looked around, “D-Dad?”  
Gaster manifested beside her and gave her a big smile, “Good Evening dear.”  
Ryou turned to embrace her father. She rested her head on his shoulder, “Merry Christmas dad.”  
He laughed, “Is it Christmas already?”  
Ryou nodded and pulled away, “Sans proposed.”  
Gaster smiled happily, “How wonderful.”  
She nodded and held out her hand, even in her dreams the glittering crystal rose rested on her finger. She held out her hand, “Did…Did you see it?”  
Gaster smiled, “Yes, though I could not hear it…”  
Ryou shrugged with a grin, “Oh…well I’m sure you didn’t want to hear your daughter frisking your future son-in-law.”  
Gaster barked out a laugh, “No, thank you.”  
The scenery around them changed and they were suddenly sitting at Grillbyz, but the music was gone and everyone in it was gone. Ryou looked around, “Kinda sad to see Grillbyz so empty.” She bit her lip and looked back at Gaster, his eyes seemed a million miles away. “Is it lonely…without mom?”   
Gaster froze, his eyes wide and his mouth hung open as though he were going to say something but he clamped it closed, he waved his hand to dismiss the question and he smiled, “I’m alright Ryou.”  
Ryou felt bad for asking but forced a smile, “Sorry, I’m sure…you don’t want to talk about that.”  
Gaster sighed and a ghost of his sadness became almost visible on his face. His eyes were void as he folded his hands, “I miss your mother…I…I miss her all the time.” His hands tightened together and his brows furrowed. “I…I never got to see your mother have you, watch you grow…take care of you both like I should have.”   
Ryou frantically shook her head, “N-No! Dad…it was because of your love we ever made it to the surface! Of course the surface sucked but if you didn’t do what you did we would’ve met the same fate as those other humans! I don’t blame you for anything.”   
Gaster chuckled bitterly, “When I was erased…your mother…forgot me, didn’t she..?”  
Ryou felt her heart twist, “…Yeah…”  
He nodded to himself and sighed, “I guess I’m not surprised, since everyone forgot me.”  
“Sans didn’t, he spent every day blaming himself for what happened to you.” Ryou placed a hand over Gaster’s, his hand felt warm. “Sans held onto you because you were part of his family. Does he not count?”  
Gaster’s eyes softened and he smiled weakly, “Yes, he does.” Gaster’s smile widened. “Sans used to do a lot of funny things while we worked together. Funny story, I used to go to find the ketchup missing, and have its empty bottle show up later in the day. After many times of frustration I finally bought a whole cart full. That’s when I found out where they were going, I had walked into the kitchen to find Sans very sick on the floor with thirteen empty ketchup bottles around him.”  
Ryou gasped, “Thirteen?”  
Gaster laughed, “Yes, he apologized for the missing ketchup and offered to pay me for them. I declined of course, and everyday leading up to the accident I would buy him a few bottles so he would leave mine alone.”  
Ryou fiddled with her fingers, “When I was little, living in my original timeline, Sans and Papyrus took care of me. Sans used to get me ketchup packets and we would snack on them at his post. I was always happy to have some, eventually we switched to full bottles. I remember he and I got really sick after about seven one night and Papyrus had to take care of us.”  
Gaster laughed, “I hope you learned your lesson.”  
Ryou nodded, “One bottle is fine, I get sick if I have more than that.”  
Gaster chuckled then sighed, “How’s my um…grandster?”  
“Your what?”  
Gaster burst into laughter, “Sorry, I was trying to play with words; unfortunately my material is a bit rusty. How is pregnancy treating you?”  
Ryou slammed her fist on the table, “IT SUCKS! I’m sleepy all the time, my feet hurt, my back hurts, I’m starting to gain weight, and when I’m not barfing my guts out I’m eating everything I can get my hands on!” She panted a moment before continuing. “But other than all that it’s great.” She laughed.  
Gaster chuckled, “Sounds like fun, how is Sans handling everything?”  
Ryou shrugged, “Well, he just proposed to me. I’m assuming very well.”  
“I see,” Gaster looked pleased. “Then I shall not worry.”  
Ryou’s smile faded, “Dad…are you positive there’s no way to bring you back..?”  
Gaster froze, “R-Ryou, I thought we-“  
“I know! But…I mean…” She struggled for the correct words. “I just want you to be able to enjoy living again…it would mean so much to us if you-“  
“Ryou.” Gaster said sternly. Ryou immediately shut her mouth. “Do not, under any circumstance, try and bring me back. There will be horrific consequences. I beg of you, do not attempt in any way…please.”  
“Why? Why can’t you at least-“  
“Because I don’t want to erase you…” He was tearing up. “The sacrifice to bring me back to this plane…is you.”  
Ryou hesitated, “What do you mean?”  
“Ryou, the only way I can come back is by erasing all time leading up to now, back to the beginning…before your mother.”  
Ryou felt her chest tighten, “No…” She whispered. “There has to be another way.”  
Gaster waved her off with a smile, “Please worry not, I am fine the way I am. This isn’t as bad as you might think. I am proud to call you my daughter, seeing you so determined to help others is what I love the most...but you must know when to let someone go.”  
Ryou felt something swirl in her chest, a dark feeling…almost like a foreshadowing was placed into his words, “You’re not just talking about yourself…are you?”  
Gaster gave her a big smile, “It’s time to wake up dear.”  
Before Ryou could say another word her eyes opened and she was staring up at a familiar ceiling. She groaned, “Damn it Gaster, that’s not fair.”  
“What are you talking about?” Sans chuckled beside her.  
She glanced at him then placed her hands over her eyes, “Nothing…my dad just forced me to wake up is all.”  
Sans seemed intrigued, “Do you guys talk in your dreams a lot?”  
She shrugged, “He’s there some nights, others are either filled with nightmares or weird dreams.” She stretched; popping her joints always woke her up and relaxed her. She could see the look of discomfort on his face and she giggled.  
“Please stop doing that.” He begged and flopped onto his stomach.   
Ryou yawned and sat up, “Sorry.”  
He shrugged lazily, “How are you feeling today?”  
“Hungry…” She grumbled. “Will you make me food?”  
He chuckled, “Na, I’m feelin lazy today, besides, we don’t have much of a fridge left after yesterday.”  
Ryou rolled her eyes, “Well sorry I’m eating for two people, ya know.”  
Sans wrapped his arm around her and gently pulled her to lay her head on his chest. She could hear the rasp of air flowing in and out softly against her ear. She listened harder; she could almost hear the hum of his magic from within him. “What are you listening so intently for?” Sans asked, his voice vibrating his ribcage under her ear. She wanted to hear his heart beating, but…  
Ryou knew there wasn’t a heartbeat to be heard, “Listening for your heart, I always forget you don’t have one, the organ I mean.”  
He chuckled, “What’s so great about having a heart?” He shrugged. “If you ask me, having organs and skin are a pain.”  
Ryou raised a brow, “Well, don’t you like my fleshy bits?” She giggled.  
He choked and a blush spread over his face, “W-Well I never said I didn’t like them…”   
She grinned up at him, “What’s your favorite part?”  
Sans looked thoughtful, “If I really had to choose just one part of you…” He hummed as he looked over her. “I’d have to say your lips.”  
Ryou had expected something strange like her feet or ears, but was surprised by his answer, “Really?”   
He nuzzled the top of her head, “I love every part of you equally, but I think I love your lips just a little more.” He ran his fingers down her cheek to lightly graze over her parted lips. “Always so soft…”  
Ryou blushed, “I think I can spare a few minutes before getting something to eat.” She murmured, her warm breath feathering over his fingertips. She saw a glint in his eye and all feeling of desire left her, replaced with the bubbling sensation of uncontrollable laughter. She held it back.  
He gave her a sly smile, “I’ve been thinking about trying this in an elevator…though I don’t think too highly of it.”  
Ryou burst into laughter, “It’s nice to be random for a change…I would like to know where you got that idea from.”  
He shrugged and gave her a grin, to which she knew what was coming next, “If I told you I would really be lowering myself.”  
“Sans, stop that.”  
“What? Your lack of faith in my ability to come up with a good pun really floors me.”  
Ryou shook her head but smiled, “Come on…”  
“But this just opens the doors to all new levels of-“  
“Sans, you’re really pushing my buttons.” She hinted with a laugh.  
He held up his hands in defeat, “Okay okay I’m done.” He wiped his eyes.  
“So, about that idea of yours.”  
He blushed and looked away, “Can we talk about it la-“  
“No, now.” She said giving him a devilish smile.  
Giving in he sighed, “I got the idea from…uh…” He blushed and coughed out the name.   
“I uh…didn’t catch that dear.”  
His smile faded and he pouted, “M…” He grumbled lowly.   
“Sans…”  
“METTATON.” He shouted then clamped a hand over his mouth.  
Ryou blinked, a smile crept onto her face, “Mettaton?”  
Sans frowned, “What’s with that look?”  
She shrugged and got out of bed, “Nothing.”  
He eyed her, “Wait, where are you going?”  
“Don’t worry about it.” She giggled and ran to the door.  
Knowing he would stop her she wasn’t surprised to see him flash in front of her, “Babe,” He warned. “You’re not going to go spreading that around right?”  
She blushed and looked away innocently, “Me? Oh no, I wouldn’t dream of it.”  
He chuckled, “How about I go downstairs and make you food.”  
He was fun to motivate, “Sounds good to me.” She gave him a big grin and walked back to the bed. He stood motionless for a few moments before he slammed a hand to his forehead, “You did that to get me to make you food, didn’t you.”  
She shrugged and relaxed against the pillows, “Me? No! Of course not!” Sarcasm held heavy in her voice.   
“Clever.” He chuckled and sighed. “Alright, but I can’t promise it’ll be good.” He opened the door and went to step out.  
“Sans?” Ryou called out suddenly.  
He poked his head in, “Yeah?”  
She smiled happily at him, “I love you.”   
He blushed, returning her smile, “I love you too.” The door clicked closed, Sans stood for a moment in the hallway, stars in his eyes. Papyrus came out of the bathroom then and almost bumped into him.  
“SANS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING STANDING AROUND IN THE HALLWAY?”  
Sans snapped back to reality, “Y-Yeah, sorry Pap I was um…just thinking.”  
Papyrus gave him a confused look but eventually shrugged it off, “WELL, I’M IN THE MOOD FOR SOME SPAGHETTI, HOW ABOUT YOU?”  
Sans nodded, “Sure bro, I’ll help you.”  
Papyrus’s eyes lit up, “YOU’VE REALLY TURNED YOURSELF AROUND SANS, I’M PROUD OF YOU.”  
Sans blushed, avoiding his brother’s cheerful gaze he chuckled, “I guess you’re right. I feel a lot more alive than I used to.”  
After working through a few kinks in the sauce they managed to make a decent pot of pasta. Sans smiled happily at Papyrus, “Nicely done bro, the sauce didn’t burn either.”  
Papyrus nodded, “THE MEATBALLS CAME OUT SOFT AND DELICIOUS! I MUST SAY SANS, YOU’RE STARTING TO COOK A LOT MORE OFTEN! I WILL NOT DENY I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO COOK LIKE THIS WITH YOU.”  
Sans laughed, “Sorry it took me so long to find motivation.”   
Papyrus suddenly embraced Sans. Sans smiled happily, “I’m so glad that I’m getting to have time with my little bro.” Sans hugged his brother tightly. “I’m proud of you Pap, when did you get so mature?” Without warning Sans heard a sob escape Papyrus. “Pap?” He pulled away to inspect his brother who began to cry hysterically, falling to his knees Papyrus threw his arms around Sans and sobbed into his sweater. “Papyrus? Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?” Sans asked frantically.  
Papyrus shook his head, “I’M JUST…SO HAPPY SANS, SO HAPPY YOU’RE YOU AGAIN!” He sobbed. “I WAITED…FOR SO LONG! I STOPPED COUNTING THE DAYS SANS…I WAS GIVING HOPE THAT YOU WOULD EVER BE YOURSELF AGAIN!”  
Sans felt his own eyes overflowing now. Without hesitation he soothingly pet Papyrus on the head, “It’s alright now bro, I’m here.”  
When Papyrus managed to calm himself Sans helped him lie on the couch to relax, “Do you want me to get you a plate?”  
Papyrus sniffled, “Y-YES.”  
Sans smiled and went to the kitchen to fix the plates. When he got the first ready he brought it to Papyrus, “Here, I’m going to get this plate to Ryou then you and I can hang down here, okay? We’ll watch whatever you want.”  
“C-CAN WE WATCH THE ONE WITH THE KNIGHT AGAIN?”  
Sans had seen that movie too many times to count, “Sure bro, I’ll be right back.”  
After giving Ryou her food he walked back down to start the movie, sitting beside his brother while they ate. Sans noticed Papyrus was a lot more emotional than usual, but he assumed he was stressed about the change in the house. After a while Papyrus leaned on Sans and smiled happily at him, Sans smiled back in response, resting his own head against his brother’s as the movie played. He thought about what Ryou had told him about what had happened in her own timeline and he wrapped a protective arm around his brother. He wouldn’t let anything happen to him…not this time.

Ryou walked down the stairs a while later to find Sans and Papyrus sleeping. She bit her lip, Sans looked so protective over Papyrus it was almost adorable. She walked up to Papyrus’s room, pulled his blanket off the bed and carried down to wrap the brothers up. She smiled to herself, if Sans was this devoted to his brother, she knew he would be a good father no matter what he thought. She walked into the kitchen and began to make hot chocolate. She boiled some milk, then added chocolate and cinnamon. She stirred until the chocolate melted and turned the milk a chocolatey brown. When it was finished she poured it into three mugs, added some whip cream to the top and sprinkled a tiny dash of cinnamon on the top. Proud of her creations she took two cups to the living room and nudged Sans.  
“Hmm..?” He stirred and blinked up at her.  
“Here, I thought you boys would want some too.” She smiled and handed him the cup.   
Sans stared down at it for a moment, “Oh babe, you didn’t have to…but thanks.” He smiled at her and nudged Papyrus. “Bro, you want some?”  
Papyrus jolted up and looked around, “WHAT? WHERE?” His eyes rested on the cup being held out in front of him. He took it and smiled, “OH! THANK YOU, RYOU!”  
She walked back to the kitchen to grab her own. She snuggled up next to Sans and kissed his cheek, “Sorry if I woke you guys, I thought since it’s so cold I would make us something warm.”  
Sans sipped, his eyes went wide, “Whoa…this is really good. What did you put in this?”  
“Cinnamon, chocolate, and milk.” She shrugged. “My mom used to make it like this.”  
Papyrus smiled, “IT IS FANTASTIC! I WILL HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE SOME SO I CAN SHARE SOME WITH ASGORE! HE LOVES THIS STUFF!”  
Ryou giggled, “I remember, Asgore used to get marshmallows stuck in his beard.”  
Sans glanced at Ryou then chuckled, “Well, I can’t say that much good came out of that situation, then again, I don’t have hair so…” He shrugged.  
Papyrus thought a moment, “HMM, WHAT IS HAVING HAIR LIKE?”  
“Well, it’s nice, keeps your head warm.” She laughed. “But depending on your species, you can have hair from head to toe.”  
Papyrus couldn’t help reaching over to take a few strands in his hand, “COULD I HAVE HAIR?”  
Ryou bit her lip and Sans raised a brow at his brother, “Heh…no Pap, but we’re handsomely attractive without, am I right?” He looked at Ryou with a grin.  
“Of course! Papyrus, you look amazing without it.”  
Papyrus’s face lit up and he clasped his hands together, “YOU REALLY THINK SO?”  
Sans nodded, “Of course we think so, I mean having it can lead to some…HAIRY situations.”  
Ryou rolled her eyes and Papyrus shook his head, “SANS, THE ONLY THING THAT WILL CAUSE SUCH A SITUATION IS YOUR PUNS.”  
“That was so bad Sans, I can’t STRAND it.” Ryou gave him a grin.  
Sans laughed, “The WAVES of jokes have started.”  
“My toes CURLED when you said that.”  
“WILL YOU TWO STOP THAT?!” Papyrus begged.  
Ryou laughed, “Okay we’re done.”  
“Glad that was STRAIGHTENED out.” Sans laughed.  
Papyrus groaned, “SANS, I AM WARNING YOU.”  
“I’m laughing so hard,” He wheezed as he laughed. “My stomach’s in knots!”  
“THAT’S IT!” Papyrus set his cup on the floor, took Sans’s away, then tackled him. Ryou moved from the couch as the two wrestled onto the floor. She smiled at them as she sipped her hot chocolate, living with the two had been a roller coaster, but she knew that already. The both of them from her own timeline had been just as aggressive yet they were…more close in this timeline.   
“Babe?” Both of them had sprung to their feet and were looking her over.  
She hadn’t realized she was crying until she wiped her eyes, “I’m okay.”  
Sans looked at his brother with a worried expression, Papyrus shrugged, he seemed just as perplexed about what to do. Sans turned back to Ryou and put his hand on her cheek, “Are you sure?”  
She nodded, “I’m fine, Sans.” She placed her hand over his and turned her head to kiss his palm. “I’m okay, I was thinking about how cute you guys are when you rough house.”  
“And that made you cry?”  
She laughed softly, “Sans, my hormones are making me emotional…there’s nothing to worry about.”  
Papyrus pulled Ryou into a hug, “I AM SORRY YOU ARE EMOTIONAL! IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT EASIER?”  
“Well, I think what you guys are already doing is fine,” She gave him a peck on the cheek. “Don’t worry about me Papyrus.”  
He blushed and hugged her tighter, “WELL…ALRIGHT, BUT DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK FOR ANYTHING! THE GREAT PAPYRUS DOESN’T LOUNGE AND BOONDOGGLE LIKE SOMEBODY WE KNOW.”   
Sans shrugged, “What can I say, I’m naturally lazy.”  
Ryou laughed, “I think I can do that.”  
Ryou’s cell phone rang suddenly, making her jump, “What the hell?” Papyrus set her down so she could answer. “Hello?”  
“R-Ryou! W-We have a huge pro-“ Alphys was cut off.  
“HEY! Ryou, we um…have someone here who wants to see you…but um…I’m freaking out a little so please hurry.” Undyne said then. “You’re going to want to come prepared.”  
“Who is it?”  
Undyne took a deep breath, “He says he needs to see you immediately, I don’t know where he came from but-“  
“Who is it, Undyne?” Ryou said a little more sternly.  
“He…he says he’s Sans…”  
The phone slipped out of Ryou’s hand, “No…” She fell to her knees and took a moment to process. She picked up the phone and spoke slowly, “I’ll be over immediately.”


	24. Going back?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soooooooo...this chapter was a little late...heh...uh...been drawing and posting on my tumblr page a lot lately due to a new program lol If you want to check it out and view my art or anything I reblogged for some god damn reason you can use this...thing :o (Beware, if you are under 18 there is NSFW content floating around in there somewhere so be responsible!)  
> http://fantasyspices.tumblr.com/  
> Enjoy the bullshit~

Sans looked at Ryou in confusion, “Who was that?”  
Ryou couldn’t speak, her shock was taking over. She could feel her body vibrating with a mix of confusion and nausea, without warning she doubled over and dry heaved a moment. She didn’t realize Sans had teleported her to the bathroom where she proceeded to vomit. Sans gently massaged her back, the soothing gesture calming her. When she was done she collapsed against him with a small groan and began to shake again. Sans looked her over, “Babe, are you okay? You’ve never shaken like this before…you’re scaring me.”  
She couldn’t muster the energy to move or speak, this was impossible…he couldn’t be alive. Sitting on the bathroom floor Sans held Ryou to his chest with her head resting on his shoulder, rocking her until she looked calm enough to speak. He spoke again, “Are you okay now?”  
She managed to nod and Sans let out a sigh of relief, “Okay, can you tell me what happened?”  
“He’s alive…and he’s here.” Her voice was failing her but he seemed to understand.  
He looked alarmed, “Whose here?”  
She shook her head, “I have to get over to Alphys’s lab.”  
“I’ll take you, but first, tell me who is here?”  
Ryou hesitated, “I don’t know…but I think it might be the you from my timeline.”  
Sans’s eyes widened and he looked frightened, “Wait-are you telling me he’s not dead?”  
“I don’t know!” She cried then quieted. “…I thought he was gone forever.”  
Sans shook his head, “Something about this isn’t right.”  
She nodded, “I’ll be cautious-“  
“I’m coming with you.” He looked down at her. “You’re not going alone.”  
She stared at him for a long moment, “Will you be okay seeing yourself from my past?”  
He shrugged, “Well, we’ll see. Judging him already by what you’ve told me, he sounds like a prick…but he’s still technically me. I’ll be gentle, but I have only one thing…he can’t touch you.”  
She raised a brow at him, “Why?”  
He searched for the right words, “W-Well, I don’t want him…trying to get friendly with you…”  
Ryou blinked a few times as she processed, “Are you jealous?”  
He snorted, “Hardly…” He looked away and sighed. “No…I’m more afraid of what he’s going to say.”  
Ryou nodded, “Don’t worry; I’m a little worried about that too.”

Ryou’s heart was racing as the ferry carried them to Hotland. She was shaky and could barely walk on her own, Sans forced her to ride on his back and let him carry her. He seemed more protective and quiet than usual…it made Ryou nervous.  
Once Charon stopped the ferry they turned a bit, “I wish you luck, tra la la~”  
Ryou nodded and climbed onto Sans’s back again. He carried her up to the lab doors and without haste walked inside. Ryou could see everyone there: Toriel, Asgore, Undyne, and Alphys were standing in a bit of a circle and talking amongst themselves. Sans let Ryou down, “Can you stand?”  
Ryou nodded, “I’m going to have to.” She took several deep breaths and walked forward, Sans right at her heels. Undyne turned and nodded to Ryou, “Hurry up! Jeez!”  
Everyone shuffled to look back and Ryou walked up beside them. Standing before her was…Sans, the old Sans. He was wearing his same lab coat, though the cut from Chara’s blade was there, the wound was gone. He smiled at her, “Hello love.”  
Ryou took a step forward, “Sans…”  
Future Sans looked her over and smiled, “You look well…” He said, then his eyes landed on her scar. His eyes narrowed, “You were injured?”  
Ryou shrugged, “I’ve had worse.”  
He sighed and walked to her, standing before her he reached up a hand to trace his fingers over the scar when Sans smacked his hand away and glared at his Future self. Future Sans raised a brow, “The hell is your deal?”  
“Hands off.” Sans retorted flatly.  
Future Sans looked to Ryou then back, “So, I send you back to fix things and you fall in love with me?”  
Ryou shuffled nervously, “Well…it sorta…”  
“Sorta..?” He urged.  
“The hell is wrong with me in the future?” Sans asked Ryou while keeping a sharp eye on his future self. “Sounds like I lost my damn funny bone.”  
Future Sans cleared his throat, “That was rude of me, you’re right.” He looked at Ryou, his eyes softened. “It’s…good to finally see you again.”  
Ryou nodded, “It’s good to see you too. Listen, I don’t mean to sound rude, but why are you here?”  
He chuckled, “To take you back, why else?”  
Ryou’s eyes widened and her heart dropped to her stomach, “Wait…g-go back?”  
He nodded, “The timeline mended, when I woke up I was in the lab on the floor…but the time machine was gone. I worked to fix it, came back and here I am.”  
Ryou looked to her friends who all looked worried and confused. Undyne growled, “Listen! I don’t care who the hell you are, Ryou is our friend and I’ll fight you if I have to!”  
Toriel nodded, “Ryou has been nothing but kind and helpful to me and to our family, she belongs here with us.”  
Future Sans shook his head, “Ryou…I told you not to get too involved…”  
Ryou looked away, “I couldn’t help myself…seeing everyone alive and well…seeing them all happy.” She had tears welling in her eyes. She took her fiance’s hand in hers. “In this timeline Sans, you treat me like a person, like I still matter.”  
Future Sans frowned and he looked away, “I…I am very sorry for the way I treated you Ryou.” He went to advance her again but this time Sans stepped in front of her and folded his arms.  
“Look buddy, I don’t think you heard me the first time.” His eye glowed and he glared. “Don’t touch her.”  
Future Sans glared back, his eye glowing. Ryou already knew the sight before her, but Sans seemed taken aback. His future self took on long scars, one under his left eye, and another above his right eye; eyes that glowed a brilliant cyan color, “Who are you to tell me what to do?”  
Sans growled, “I’m warning you.”  
Future Sans grinned, “Thanks for the warning,” He glared. “Now get out of my way, I’m taking Ryou back with me.”  
Sans shoved Future sans away, “Lay a finger on her and you’ll lose your arm.”  
Ryou knew what was about to come and she turned, “It might be best to stay back and somewhere safe!” Everyone ran for cover while both versions of Sans glared at one another in a standoff, then both of them were attacking and dodging. The room practically exploded in color, Ryou could see them attacking and dodging fast, so fast they were like blurs around the room.  
“What the hell happened to you? What’s with the scars?” Sans asked, rolling to the side away from a flying bone.  
“Tsk, look familiar?” Future Sans asked with a grin. He narrowly dodged Sans’s fist, bending back, then flipping back to use a Gaster blaster. “Do they remind you of him, Sans?”  
Sans hesitated for a split second, feeling the wind get knocked out of him. He fell to the ground with a thud, then rolled out of the way before a glowing hand smashed into his skull. “Okay that was new.” Sans breathed out ruggedly staring at the slight crater in the ground, then to Future Sans’s face. “You perfected it, didn’t you.”  
“Yup.” A massive Gaster blaster morphed in behind him, it’s normal spiky body was different, it’s teeth were longer in the front, and it’s spikes were twisted up into what looked like a blue glowing halo. It’s eyes glowed a vivid cyan and bore the same scars as Future Sans. “Funny, isn’t it? This baby couldn’t even stop Chara…” He chuckled weakly. “Couldn’t protect Papyrus…couldn’t protect anyone!”  
“That’s not our fault!” Sans yelled back. “Chara and Flowey are stronger than us! But Everyone’s alive, aren’t they?”  
“You let Ryou get hurt!”  
Sans’s eyes widened and he paused. He was now visibly shaking. Ryou knew that hit him hard. He fell to his knees, “You’re right, I…I did…”  
Ryou managed to get out of her hiding spot and ran to shield Sans. She stretched her arms out and blocked him, “Don’t hurt him!”  
“Ryou? What are you doing?!” Sans cried out.  
Her own gaster blaster morphed in, her body swirled with a pink aura. The monster’s black body like a massive shadow over her stared straight into Future Sans’s attack and let out a protective growl. Ryou glared, “That is enough!”  
Future Sans immediately powered down and stared at her with wide eyes, “Ryou…”  
Sans shot up and took her by the shoulders, “Are you crazy?! What would’ve happened if he attacked you? Did you forget you’re carrying a baby?”  
Ryou powered down, “Of course not, but did you expect me to sit back and let you guys tear one another to pieces?”  
“Baby..?”  
Ryou’s eyes shot to Future Sans and his eyes widened. He stared at Ryou in awe, his hands were shaking a bit but he walked up to her, using his magic to throw Sans out of the way. Sans landed with a thud, he looked up to see future Sans take Ryou’s face in his hands.  
“You’re pregnant?”  
Ryou looked away, her face turned red, “Sans…”  
“Look at me.”  
Ryou hesitated but brought her eyes to meet his, “Are you…?”  
“…Yeah.”  
His hands dropped to his sides, betrayal spread over his features, “You…were sleeping with him?”  
Ryou’s eyes widened, then a rage built inside of her. She narrowed her eyes and folded her arms, “What of it? I didn’t exactly seeing you stepping up to the plate,” She jabbed her finger into his chest. “We weren’t even dating, and you have the gall to come here…after all you put me through? DEMANDING I come back? Have my feelings always meant so little to you?”  
He began to sweat, “Ryou-“  
“Don’t, don’t you dare try to apologize,” She hissed. “I thought you were DEAD, you turned to dust in front of my eyes, threw me back in time…to a time where you were still you!” She took a step forward. “Listen here buster, you have no right asking me to come back. Like hell I’m going back with you! And you have the nerve to...to-“  
“Ryou-“ The sound of flesh hitting bone rung out in the room. Future Sans placed a hand on his cheek bone and stared in surprise at her, his cheek stung. The look in Ryou’s eyes was deadly, a swirling mix of red and pink…  
“Goodbye, Sans.” She hissed and walked past him to the lab door. Everyone was now standing, staring back and forth between Future Sans standing in shock and Ryou leaving the Lab.  
“She…she slapped me…” Future Sans’s voice shook.  
“You kinda deserved it.” Sans said glaring at him. “Can’t you take a hint?”  
Future Sans sighed, “I suppose I…was too forceful. She’s always been so headstrong, but seeing her so upset about coming home after the fit she threw about having to leave…” He chuckled weakly.  
Sans folded his arms, “I hope I don’t end up anything like you in ten years buddy, I wouldn’t want to be you in this situation.”  
Future Sans glared, “Well, unfortunately because of the change, my timeline was fixed, but because of Ryou, your timeline jutted off into an alternate universe.”  
Sans raised a brow, “We changed history, yeah but…what cause it to change so drastically?”  
Future Sans looked to Sans with an almost hateful expression, “Ryou’s having your child, a child that shouldn’t exist.”  
“Wait…this is because of Aiden?”  
Future Sans nodded, “He doesn’t exist in our timeline.”  
“So, what about Ryou?”  
He sighed, “I have no choice now. Because of your child, she’s been woven into your universe…she doesn’t want to leave.”  
Sans folded his arms, “I think you should leave, go back to whatever future you come from.”  
Future Sans hesitated, “I need to make this right before I go…” He turned on his heel and ran out of the lab after Ryou.  
Sans grunted in irritation, “Come on guy, I’m exhausted as it is!” He groaned chasing after him.

Ryou was running through Waterfall now, tears soaking her face. She closed her eyes, wishing this bullshit would just go away. She ran into something solid, feeling herself get dizzy she felt arms wrap around her, “AH! RYOU! I WAS JUST LOOKING FOR YOU-“ He looked down at Ryou, tears plainly running down her cheeks.  
“Papyrus…” She murmured before she hiccupped a sob and buried her face in his chest. Papyrus struggled to understand the situation, looking her over before holding her close.  
“IT’S ALRIGHT, RYOU. THE GREAT PAPYRUS IS HERE FOR YOU.” He gently rubbed her back, soothing motions up and down her back. “CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED?”  
Ryou didn’t know how to explain the problem so she shook her head. He nodded, “THAT’S ALRIGHT, WHENEVER YOU’RE READY.”  
There were footsteps behind Ryou, then a voice to match, “Ryou…”  
She felt Papyrus stiffen, “S-SANS?” Ryou looked up to see Papyrus’s face go pale, if that were even possible. “THAT LAB COAT…”  
It was of course future Sans, but then there were more footsteps. Ryou turned to look at both Future Sans and Sans stood looking worriedly down at Ryou. Papyrus looked ill, “SANS…WHY ARE THERE TWO OF YOU?”  
Ryou shook and sobbed again, burying her face in Papyrus’s chest again. Papyrus snapped out of his shock to comfort his sobbing friend, “IT’S ALRIGHT RYOU, LOOK! SANS IS-“  
“GO AWAY!” Ryou screamed against Papyrus’s tear soaked shirt.  
Papyrus was a bit startled, “UH…AM I MISSING SOMETHING?”  
Future Sans looked away guiltily, “That’s my fault…”  
Sans folded his arms, “Don’t worry bro, this guy’s here to apologize, then he’ll be on his way.”  
Papyrus could now tell who was who, “WHAT DID HE DO?”  
“He wants Ryou to return to her timeline,” He glared at Future Sans. “He wants us to let him take Ryou away.”  
Papyrus’s arms wrapped protectively around Ryou, “YOU WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME FIRST, STRANGE MONSTER WITH MY BROTHER’S FACE! I WON’T LET YOU TAKE AWAY MY FRIEND!”  
“Calm down Papyrus, I’m not going to take her anywhere.” Future Sans said kneeling beside Ryou. “Ryou…look, I’m sorry about all of this. I…I let my feelings get the better of me.”  
Ryou looked up at him, her eyes full of tears and her pink irises dark and hazy, “You’re not going to take me?”  
He shook his head, “You have our son to think about, whether or not any of us like it, I am still Sans…” He chuckled weakly then sighed. “But not the Sans you love.”  
She shuffled until she was facing him, “I do love you, you idiot.” She wiped her eyes. “But I’m not IN love with you.”  
Future Sans nodded slowly, “I’ll accept that.”  
She smiled weakly, but kept herself from reaching out to him, “I hope everyone will understand…”  
He shrugged, “They might get upset, but they’ll get over it…besides, you’re where you’re happy…right?”  
Ryou nodded, “I am.”  
He nodded and stood, turning to Sans. He looked him dead in the eye, “If anything happens…you know where to find me.”  
Sans raised a brow but shrugged, “Sure.”  
Future Sans looked down at Ryou one more time before giving her a big smile, “Well sweetie, guess I’ll see you around.” He took a deep breath and walked away from the group. He looked back at Ryou, his eyes trained on her; they held a deep pain in them. Before anyone could blink a bright light filled the cave walls and he was gone. Ryou leaned her head on Papyrus’s chest again and let out a shaky breath, “I’m sorry guys…”  
Sans pulled Ryou to him suddenly, “I’m sorry for all of that.”  
“Not your fault.” She mumbled against his chest.  
Papyrus pulled both of them into a tight hug, “THERE’S NO ESCAPING THE GREAT PAPYRUS AND HIS EMOTIONAL HUGS!” Papyrus said with a big smile. “NOBODY WILL TAKE AWAY MY FRIEND!”  
Ryou smiled weakly, “I think I want to go home guys…”  
Sans nodded, “Yeah, I think you need rest.”  
Papyrus stood up, both Ryou and Sans still wrapped in his arms and began to walk home, “GOOD! I’LL WALK US THERE-“ Sans coughed and they were all at the house. “Papyrus glared down at Sans. “REALLY?”  
Sans shrugged, “Hey, pregnant lady wanted to go home so I took us all home.” He chuckled.  
Papyrus sighed, “INDEED, I SUPPOSED I’LL LET IT SLIDE.” He let them down and opened the door. “I WILL GET STARTED ON FOOD, I’M SURE YOU’RE STARVING AFTER ALL THAT!”  
Ryou nodded slowly and walked up to their room, “I’m going to lie down for a bit guys…I think I should be alone for a bit.”  
Sans forced himself to nod, “Take your time babe.”  
She was about halfway up the stairs when she felt her body heat up. She was sweating, “What the hell?” She mumbled, but shrugged it off as just her hormones. When she got to the room she felt the heat getting worse. “S…Shit…” She panted and began to pull off her sweater. She gasped, she was starting to sweat heavily. She wiped her forehead and began to pull off her clothes. The cold room provided enough of a cool, but the heat continued to plague her. She managed to crawl into bed before her legs gave out. She felt shivers up her back and she groaned, “Oh no…”

Sans stood outside his bedroom door, he hesitated, not wanting to worsen the situation. He put his head to the door and listened…and heard her panting. Not wanting to jump to conclusions he opened the door and peaked into the room. He could see her naked form curled up on the sheets. He raised a brow and blue flushed his face, was she..? He heard her crying softly then and he banished the idea, he walked in, “Hey babe, Pap wanted me to let you know the food was done.” When she didn’t respond Sans walked closer, “Babe?”  
He could see the sweat glistening on her skin, “Are you okay?” He touched her, she was hot to the touch. “Ryou?” He leaned down and brushed his hand to her forehead. She had a fever. “Damn it…” He mumbled to himself.  
“Sans…I’m so sorry…” She whispered, then sniffled. “I’m so sorry…”  
“No, baby, no…” He smoothed her hair back. “There’s nothing to be sorry for.” He said softly.  
She shook her head, “…He only wanted me to come home…” She sobbed softly. “I can’t believe I slapped him…”  
Sans forced away the urge to laugh, “You had every right to.”  
“I guess.”  
He looked down at the floor then back to her, “Do you…regret your decision?” His voice trailed off, he didn’t want to think about it but he had to ask.  
“No!” She cried and threw her arms around him. “No…I want to stay with you, forever.”  
Sans could feel how hot she was, her dampened skin felt clammy, “You’re really warm, Ryou.”  
She made a mumbling sound but said nothing more. Sans placed her back on the sheets, his hand sliding to her stomach to make sure their son wasn’t cooking alive. The moment he placed his hand down his eyes widened a bit. He hadn’t really noticed the swelling in her stomach until now, “Whoa…” He breathed.  
She looked up at him lazily, “What?”  
“Your belly is swollen.” He looked fascinated with her.  
Ryou laughed weakly, “That’s just a growing baby, silly.” She mumbled.  
He felt around, “Okay, well you aren’t burning up around your stomach, so Aiden should be okay.”  
“Just a little worn out Sans,” She murmured as her eyes closed. “No worries.”  
Sans nodded a bit, “If this persists I’m calling Toriel.”  
Ryou was dozing off, “…Mhm…”  
There was a pause, then he could hear her steady breathing. He let out a breath he couldn’t remember holding and ran his fingers over her stomach again, a small smile on his face. Nobody was going to take this away from him. Before long Aiden would come and his life would be complete…well, that and Ryou becoming his wife.  
“I can’t wait.” He murmured and pulled a blanket over Ryou’s body, resting his hand on her belly once more. “I can’t wait to meet you.”


	25. Innocence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHKAY so this was probably the most asked for chapter I've ever written and holy crap i don't even know ahgduigsagi;wgfifrgwfuqklvbj;d send help ;//w//;  
> I love Papyton so much omg x/////x this chapter killed me...

Papyrus stood outside of Undyne’s house while she went to grab something to drink before their training began again. He frowned at the floor for a long moment, he had seen that same lab coat before on Sans but that person couldn’t be Sans, his brother had been there too so...who was that other person? He rubbed his chin a moment before he heard someone approaching the house. He looked up to see Alphys and Mettaton there.  
“H-Hey Papyrus!” Alphys greeted.  
Papyrus smiled, “HELLO ALPHYS! AND HELLO TO YOU TOO METTATON!” Papyrus held out his arms to embrace his boyfriend.  
Mettaton ran to him, “Papy dear, I missed you so much!”  
Papyrus hugged him tightly, “ME TOO! HOW WAS YOUR LAST PREFORMANCE? I HEARD GOOD THINGS FROM UNDYNE!”  
Mettaton stiffened and pulled back a bit, “It went…uh…Alphys how did I put it?”  
“The biggest waste of time, a charade of people trying to steal your image?” Alphys said looking back at the robot in annoyance. “I-It wasn’t that big of a d-deal, you just threw a fit because one of the managers made a comment about Mettaton’s new body and…w-wanted to dress him differently.”  
Mettaton pouted, “Well, aside from that last part that was pretty spot on.”  
Alphys blushed, “W-Well, anyway, d-do you guys mind if me and Undyne get…a little p-privacy? I have some things I need to t-talk to her about.”  
Papyrus gave her a sunny smile, “OF COURSE! IF UNDYNE NEEDS US WE WILL BE…I GUESS SOMEWHERE ELSE?”  
Mettaton giggled, “We’ll be at my house.” Mettaton took Papyrus’s hand and led him up the walkway to a set of two oddly shaped houses. Mettaton’s was, of course, the pink one. Papyrus followed Mettaton in and shut the door behind himself. Mettaton gave Papyrus a devilish grin, “My dear Papyrus, it’s been a long time since we were alone like this~”  
Papyrus smiled happily, “INDEED! I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO HANG OUT WITH YOU, YOU ARE MY FAVORITE ROBOT AFTER ALL.”  
Mettaton blushed and smiled, “Do you want anything to eat?”  
Papyrus shook his head, “I FILLED UP ON SPAGHETTI BEFORE MY TRAINING!”  
Mettaton nodded, “Is there anything you would like to drink?”  
Papyrus paused but shook his head, “NO THANK YOU!”  
Mettaton blushed, “W-Well, would you like to relax with me?”  
Papyrus nodded happily, “OF COURSE! I WOULD LOVE TO!”  
Mettaton nodded led Papyrus to his room, “Go ahead and relax on my bed, I’ll put a movie on.” He giggled and walked out of the room to grab the movie.  
Papyrus looked around the room. It was Pink…a lot of pink. Papyrus blushed a little as he sat on the bed. ‘M-Mettaton sleeps here…’ Papyrus thought to himself. Curious he lay on the sheets and could smell Mettaton’s perfume. He blushed heavily at the smell and sat back up only to find Mettaton walking back in. He quickly righted himself and smiled nervously. “OH HO! D-DID YOU FIND IT?”  
Mettaton chuckled, “Of course dear.” He slipped the tape inside the VCR and turned on the TV. Mettaton waited for it to start before walking to the bed to crawl behind Papyrus to get comfortable. Papyrus nervously fidgeted for a few moments before Mettaton touched his arm. “Darling, are you alright?”  
Papyrus jumped a little and smiled back at Mettaton, “YES, I’M ALRIGHT JUST…FEELING A LITTLE WARM.”  
Mettaton blushed a bit then giggled, “Oh come now, Papyrus, just lay back and relax, I won’t bite.”  
Papyrus nodded to himself and took a deep breath before he lay back on the pillows. Once he was comfortable Mettaton snuggled up to his side and nuzzled him, “You smell wonderful today, Papy.”  
“NYEH HEH HEH…” Papyrus chuckled nervously. “THANK YOU!”  
“Anytime darling~” Mettaton giggled and turned his attention to the movie. Papyrus tried to do the same.  
Papyrus hadn’t realized how comfortable he was until he was fast asleep halfway through the movie. Before long he began to stir, his eye sockets opening slowly as he forced himself to register all feeling in his body. There was a strange feeling on his ribs, something metallic suddenly glided across one and Papyrus’s eyes widened. He blushed down at Mettaton; he had his hand under Papyrus’s shirt and was caressing his ribs.  
Papyrus felt something strange run through him and he gasped, “W-W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT FOR?”  
Mettaton paused and looked up at Papyrus with wide eyes, “Sorry dear I…I thought you were asleep.” He pulled his hand out of Papyrus’s shirt, grazing his ribs all the way out. Papyrus let out a breathy moan and both of them froze.  
Papyrus slapped a hand to his mouth; his eyes were wide with surprise, a reflection of Mettaton’s own face. Both of them stared at one another awkwardly until Papyrus scrambled to his feet and laughed awkwardly, “NYAH HAHA! Y-YES WELL I BETTER GET HOME BEFORE SANS GETS WORRIED! S-SEE YA METTATON!” And like that Papyrus ran out of the house.  
Mettaton stared after him, hand outstretched and a hurt look on his face, “Papy…” He murmured sadly.

Papyrus ran into the house and shut the door. He sank to the floor and gasped for air, what was Mettaton doing? He put a hand to his head and sighed.  
“Hey bro, what’s up?”  
“WHAAA!” Papyrus cried out. His eyes were wide and he looked shaken.  
“Whoa there bro, are you okay?” Sans rushed to his brother’s side and turned him to face him.  
Papyrus looked away shamefully, “I’M SORRY I…I’M SORRY.” Papyrus got up and walked to his room and closed the door, leaving Sans kneeling at the front door with confusion splayed over his face. The thought dawned on Papyrus as he slumped onto his bed. “I JUST RAN OUT OF HIS HOUSE LIKE A COWARD…” Papyrus sighed and held his head in his hands. “I…I’M THE GREAT PAPYRUS! I’M NOT SUPPOSED TO RUN FROM ANYTHING..!” He felt unsure of his words. “OH I’M SUCH A BONEHEAD!”  
There was a soft knock on his door and he looked up to see Sans looking worriedly at him, “Bro, tell me what’s up, you’re scaring me a little.”  
Papyrus shifted uncomfortably, a deep blush on his face, “I’M SO ASHAMED SANS…”  
Sans stared at his brother for a long moment before responding, “What did that calculator do to you…” Sans sounded angry.  
Papyrus held up his hands, “N-NO! METTATON DIDN’T…” Papyrus wrung his hands. “I FELL ASLEEP WATCHING A MOVIE WITH HIM B-BUT I FELL ASLEEP! AND…WHEN I WOKE UP HE HAD HIS HAND UP MY SHIRT…”  
Sans growled, “HE WHAT?!”  
“BROTHER CALM YOURSELF!”  
Sans immediately calmed and took a deep breath, “Sorry…” He sat beside Papyrus and chuckled. “Okay, so…was that it?”  
“WELL…WHEN HE WENT TO TAKE HIS HAND AWAY I FELT MY WHOLE BODY GET STIFF AND I LET OUT SUCH A LEWD SOUND!” Papyrus buried his face in his hands.  
Sans blinked a few time before a slight smile appeared on his face, “And?”  
“I FREAKED OUT AND RAN HOME…”  
Sans’s frown disappeared completely and he folded his arms, “Oh I see…”  
“OH HE MUST HATE ME NOW, I’M SUCH A FOOL, SANS!” Papyrus wailed out, tears streaming down his face. “I DIDN’T EVEN THINK ABOUT HIS FEELINGS…” Papyrus sniffled and wiped his eyes. “NYOH…HO HO…” He whimpered into his gloves.  
Sans stared at his brother, this was the first time he had to comfort Papyrus about something like this, “Uh…well, if I know the drama queen, I’m sure he’s a little hurt by your actions but-”  
“I DON’T DESERVE HIS FORGIVENESS!”  
Sans snorted but pushed his laughter away, “Bro, it’s not the end of the world.” He wrapped a comforting arm around his brother.  
“YES IT IS!”  
Sans sighed and stood up. He faced Papyrus and took his brother by the cheeks, squishing his face a bit and stared into his eyes, “Papyrus, what are you talking about! So what, you ran home because you didn’t understand Mettaton’s…obvious sexual advances.” Sans forced the last few words through clenched teeth. “But, it’s no big deal, I’m sure if you just go back and explain he will forgive you. It was just a misunderstanding.”  
Papyrus sniffled, “ARE YOU SURE HE WILL?”  
Sans nodded, “I’m positive.”  
Papyrus managed a smile, “ALRIGHT THEN! I WILL!”  
Sans smiled back, “There’s my little bro.”  
Papyrus pulled Sans into a tight hug. Sans nodded and let Papyrus go, “Talk to the calcu-I mean, Mettaton, you’ll see everything is alright.”  
Papyrus beamed at Sans, “THANK YOU BROTHER!”  
“Uh…but I think it’ll have to wait until tomorrow.” Sans chuckled.  
Papyrus nodded and his smiled faded a bit, “YOU’RE PROBABLY RIGHT…”  
Sans nodded, “I’m making Ryou some soup, her fever is still really high…I’m calling Toriel in the morning so she can come check on her.”  
Papyrus gave his brother a worried look, “WOWIE, I HOPE SHE’S OKAY…SHOULD I HELP WITH ANYTHING?”  
Sans chuckled, “Nah, I’m sure she’s just recovering from the stress of yesterday…she begged me to wait to call Toriel, against my better judgement I agreed.” Sans frowned.  
Papyrus looked to the floor but smiled, “SHE’S VERY STRONG, ISN’T SHE.”  
Sans smiled a bit and pat his brother on the back, “Yeah, she is. You are too.”  
Papyrus smiled wider, “THANK YOU BROTHER!”  
Sans yawned, “Well, I’m going to get started on that food, you gunna be okay by yourself?”  
Papyrus grinned; puffing out his chest he placed a fist to it and let out a laugh, “NYAH HA HA! OF COURSE DEAR BROTHER, FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS! CAN HANDLE GOING SOLO FOR THE TIME BEING!”  
Sans stared at his brother, then shrugged with a laugh, “Okay bro, I’ll be downstairs if you need me.”  
Papyrus watched as his brother left the room, his body slumping again he sighed, “I NEED TO APOLOGIZE TO HIM. I CANNOT REST UNTIIL I DO!”  
Papyrus got up and walked downstairs to the front door when there was a knock on the other side. Papyrus curiously answered and looked out to see Mettaton looking worriedly back at him, “O-OH! METTATON, WAS JUST COMING BACK TO-“  
“Papy, dear, I’m so sorry…I should’ve asked before I did that, can you ever forgive me?” Mettaton’s eyes were shining, almost as though he were about to cry.  
Papyrus smiled tenderly at him, “I WAS ABOUT TO COME AND APOLOGIZE FOR RUNNING OUT ON YOU, IT WASN’T VERY NICE OF ME TO DO TO YOU.”  
Mettaton blinked but smiled back, “I forgive you, I’ll take it slower next time darling. I should go at the pace you’re comfortable with.”  
Papyrus blushed and shuffled to the side, “WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME IN?”  
Mettaton hesitated but stepped inside. He looked around the house and then glanced in the kitchen at Sans who was leaning against the counter with a frustrated look on his face. Mettaton raised a brow and then looked to Papyrus, “Is your brother alright?”  
Papyrus nodded, “HE’S TAKING CARE OF RYOU, SHE’S ILL.”  
Mettaton looked up to Sans’s bedroom door, “I see…may I ask what she’s ill with?”  
“SANS SAID SOMETHING ABOUT STRESS.”  
Mettaton gasped, “Why didn’t you tell me? Oh I am an expert when it comes to stress relief, I am a star after all.” Mettaton giggled. “Working in my field is always stressful…and since she’s human, I think a soothing hot bath, a good massage, and some music will melt away her stress in an instant. Alphys told me in her…ah, cartoons, humans take hot baths to relax them after a stressful event. As for me, I have you to help me work through my problems.”  
Papyrus beamed, “WOWIE! YOU SURE HAVE A LOT OF WISDOM, METTATON! I’LL LET SANS KNOW!” Papyrus ran into the kitchen, startling his brother. “SANS! METTATON CAME BY! HE SAYS RYOU NEEDS A HOT BATH TO HELP HER RELAX!”  
“Make sure to add your scented soaps, it makes the bath much more relaxing.” Mettaton said with a smile.  
Sans turned to stir the soup and turned the burner off, “I’m going to take her to Toriel’s, they have a bigger bath and Toriel will know what to do. I don’t think I can wait through this anymore. I’ll be back in a few hours, okay? Don’t burn down the house or anything.”  
Papyrus nodded with a smile, “OF COURSE! IF ANYTHING HAPPENS LET US KNOW!”  
Sans nodded and walked out of the kitchen to his room. Sans walked back down the stairs with Ryou wrapped in a blanket, “I’ll be back.” He said before disappearing into thin air.  
Mettaton stared after him, “Their relationship is very cute, Sans is very devoted to her.” He giggled then turned to Papyrus who was blushing and looking away. “What is it, Papy?”  
Papyrus flinched at his name and blushed deeper, “W-WELL, DO YOU THINK WE CAN WATCH ANOTHER MOVIE?”  
Mettaton smiled. He nodded and closed the distance between them and placed a hand on Papyrus’s cheek, “Oh dear, your cheeks are so orange.” He giggled. “Are you alright?”  
Papyrus stared at Mettaton for a long moment, “I AM…FEELING VERY HAPPY.” Papyrus pulled Mettaton close and nuzzled him. “I LOVE YOU METTATON.” Papyrus leaned in and planted a toothy kiss on Mettaton’s lip.  
Mettaton made a popping sound that turned into a small hiss of what sounded like steam. Worried, Papyrus pulled away to look at him more clearly. Mettaton’s eyes were wide and glowing with little black hearts in them, his expression one of pure bliss and shock, his metallic cheeks pink with blush. Papyrus stared at him with a worried expression, “METTATON..? DID I…BREAK YOU?”  
Mettaton continued to stare, but then his lips curled into a happy smile. He giggled happily and jumped into Papyrus’s arms, “Oh Papy, darling you’re such a romantic!”  
Papyrus smiled and swung Mettaton around a moment before planting another kiss on his cheek. When he set Mettaton back on his feet Papyrus took a deep breath, but looked embarrassed again, “YOU KNOW I…DIDIN’T REALLY MIND YOU TOUCHING MY RIBS BEFORE. I WAS…JUST SURPRISED IT FELT SO NICE.”  
Mettaton stared in awe a moment, “Does that mean you’re okay with me doing it again?”  
Papyrus nodded slowly, “I WOULDN’T MIND.”  
There was a small silence in the room. Mettaton turned to the TV and turned it on. He looked through the movies and grabbed the one he knew was Papyrus’s favorite. When the movie was in the VCR he turned to Papyrus and smiled, “Come lay with me.”  
Papyrus hesitated before climbing onto the couch and sitting awkwardly next to him. When he was comfortable Mettaton rested against him. As the movie played Mettaton gently massaged Papyrus’s ribs through his shirt, being careful not to startle him like before. Papyrus was blushing still but seemed more relaxed, he was able to stretch his arm and wrap it around Mettaton’s shoulders. They stayed like this for a while until Papyrus was dozing off again. He was a little put off that he was developing a bit of his brother’s natural laziness, but was happy he was able to share this time with someone he loved.  
“Papyrus, I’m so very curious,” Mettaton murmured. “Are you ribs…sensitive?”  
Papyrus seemed surprised by the sudden comment, “AH THAT IS…A VERY GOOD QUESTION! I DON’T TOUCH THEM OFTEN ENOUGH TO REALLY KNOW.”  
Mettaton nodded to himself, “I see, and…do you mind when I touch them?”  
Papyrus went a bit ridged, “IT’S A LITTLE STRANGE, THE FEELING I GET BUT I DON’T MIND.”  
There was a silence then Mettaton smiled, “I…I don’t mind if you want to take this slow, dear.”  
Papyrus blinked, hearing the slight disappointment in Mettaton’s tone he pulled him closer, “N-NO NO! I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO…INDULGE? IN YOUR STRANGE ACTIVITIES!”  
Mettaton blinked a few times as he processed, “I’m sorry, after your outburst earlier I am a bit skeptical of that.”  
Papyrus puffed out his chest, “I WILL SIT HERE COMPLETELY STILL AND YOU MAY DO WHATEVER IT IS YOU WANTED. AFTER ALL, IT MAKES ME HAPPY WHEN YOU ARE HAPPY!”  
Mettaton placed a hand to his own cheek in shock, “O-Oh my, Papyrus you’re words are always so passionate.” He reached out a hand but hesitated. “If I go too far, please let me know. I don’t want you to run out on me again.”  
Papyrus smiled down at him, “OF COURSE!”  
Mettaton glanced up at Papyrus’s smiling face then back to the rest of him. He pushed Papyrus onto his back gently then ran a gentle finger up and down his spine. Papyrus blushed heavily but remained still. Mettaton caressed him until finally he pushed Papyrus’s shirt up, gazing at his body underneath. He traced the bones of his ribs, one, two, three, and so on, caressing each one with the same tender care as the last until Papyrus’s breathing sped up, his last three ribs seeming more sensitive than the others.  
“Are you alright?”  
Papyrus chocked something out that sounded like a yes. Mettaton took his last ribs between his index finger and thumb, stroking the bone softly until he could feel Papyrus trembling under his touch. Mettaton released him and looked up at Papyrus lovingly, “You’re so cute.”  
Mettaton looked further south, “May I…go lower?”  
Papyrus hesitated, looking at Mettaton with a range of emotions running over him at once. Then Papyrus gave a short nod. Mettaton giggled softly and gently pulled Papyrus’s shorts down to his knees to expose his pelvis. Mettaton was willed with wonder, “Your body is so beautiful…” Mettaton murmured out.  
Papyrus groaned softly, “YOU’RE THE ONE WHO IS BEAUTIFUL! COMPAIRED TO THIS BAG OF BONES YOU LOOK LIKE A GLITTERING STAR!”  
Mettaton’s eyes darkened a little and a devious smile curled on his lips, “Oh Papy, stop that. You're gorgeous and you know it.” He began to gently trace Papyrus’s pelvis with his finger.  
Papyrus let out a loud groan and his hand flew over his mouth. Mettaton eased up a bit to make sure Papyrus was okay, but from the look in Papyrus’s eyes he was doing something right. Mettaton gently rubbed that same spot softly; gauging his reaction carefully to make sure the sound wasn’t one of pain. Papyrus trembled more, his face alight with blush as his eyes squeezed shut.  
“Papyrus…” Mettaton murmured as he bent his head to lick that spot. It was instantaneous, Papyrus let out a strangled cry, his eyes teared up and he bit into his gloved hand. His hips arched up, but Mettaton pulled away, his cheeks rosy and eyes curious but continued to rub that same spot. “Always so cute…”  
Papyrus looked more and more desperate by the second, his cries getting louder against his hand until he snapped. He cried out loudly as he orgasmed, his body shaking violently as his hips rolled. Breathing heavily and embarrassed he curled up on his side in exhaustion. Mettaton stared in awe, his pupils shaped like hearts again.  
“You were gorgeous, Papy.” He murmured curling up against him.  
Papyrus hid a bit behind his scarf but nodded, “I…FEEL…SO SLEEPY…”His voice was hoarse and he was limp against the couch. How cute. Mettaton helped him pull his shorts back up then pulled him into his arms to help Papyrus relax again.  
“I love you so much Papy.” Mettaton giggled, running a hand over Papyrus’s head to soothe him. “Did I go too far?”  
Papyrus shook his head, “NO…I’M ALRIGHT.” Papyrus mumbled softly against Mettaton’s metallic chest.  
“I’ve never seen you so out of control, darling. So interesting to watch…” Mettaton murmured, resting his head atop Papyrus’s. “You’re always so interesting to watch.” He trailed a hand up and down Papyrus’s arm, lulling his lover to sleep. “My sweet Papyrus…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed my icon lol  
> If you were wondering about the pic, it is the answer to this person's question:  
> "So if Ryou died after Aiden was born, would Sans absorb her soul?"  
> The answer was:  
> Yes, Sans would absorb it. Now, Ryou is half human, half a human soul to absorb, and the other half would turn to dust. Because it is only half a human soul, I would have to go about assuming he wouldn't turn into a magnificent monster like Asriel, but would keep a lot of his former traits, but with some changes. Rayns, as I called him, is a caring yet hot headed guy. He's as tall as Papyrus and more active, constantly trying to keep track of his rambunctious son. He never takes off his hood. He's a single parent with nothing but his brother to help him, always feeling Ryou's presence when Aiden is in danger lol I wanted to make a silly spoof story off this post so I will be going back and forth X'3 idk, you guys let me know what you think :'p


	26. Relax! It's Just the Baby Kicking!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LATE CHAPTER!  
> School started, my bf left back to California and I wont see him for a year and I've been back and forth to my mom's house due to 'complications' with her own boyfriend =_= I'm a little exhausted but I managed to pull this chapter together anyway!  
> Thanks again for your patience x_x

Ryou yawned a bit; she felt warmth all around her body, from her shoulders down to her toes. She hadn’t felt this relaxed in a long time. Opening her eyes she noticed the pinkish bubbles and candles lit on what she assumed was the bathtub. She inhaled the scent of strawberries and she sighed happily. She didn’t notice the arms around her waist until she heard Sans chuckle in her ear, “Glad you’re awake, you fell asleep right after I set you in the tub…I got a little scared you would slip under water while you slept so I joined you.”  
Ryou could feel his ribs now pressed gently to her back. She nuzzled back a bit and smiled, “Huh…I didn’t think I would ever wake up like this.” She murmured. “I feel…so relaxed…where am I?”  
Sans chuckled softly and nuzzled his face in her neck, “Toriel’s house, they took Frisk out to play in town and gave me specific instructions for helping you relax. She warned me about the danger stress has on developing children…” His hand pressed against her lower stomach protectively. “If I had known it was only stress making you ill I would’ve brought you here immediately.”  
She could hear the regret painted plainly in his voice. She shrugged, “It’s not your fault, things happen, humans stress out easily so this kind of thing was inevitable.”  
Sans sighed and then laughed, “Humans are so fragile…”  
“It’s a good think I’m only half human.”  
Sans paused, “Right…”  
Ryou ran a hand along his femur to comfort him, “I’m stronger than the average human, Sans. All the crap I’ve gone through would’ve killed humans instantly, honestly I feel sorry for normal humans.” Her mind drifted to her mother. “Some…humans are stronger than others. My mom was the strongest woman I knew.” She drew her legs to her chest. “Did…you ever meet my mom?”  
Sans was quiet, he had no idea how to answer this. He fidgeted a bit behind her and Ryou looked back to see him blushing. Ryou raised a brow at him in question and he cleared his throat, “I met her a really long time ago…before you were around.”  
Ryou smiled, “What was she like back then?”  
Sans felt his chest tighten, this was more painful to recall than he wanted, “Say Gaster was the moon and stars, she was the vast beautiful sky holding them there. She was a human like I’ve never seen, graceful, peppy…she was so kind to me, even when we first met. I uh…sort of attacked her.”  
“What?”  
Sans quickly righted himself, “Well, I used to be terrified of humans, so when I saw her I thought…”  
“That must’ve been awkward.” Ryou laughed.  
Sans nodded, “She used to make us lunch when we were caught up in the lab. She even took care of me when my gaster blaster self-destructed and almost blew my head off.” He laughed softly at the memory but his smile faded. “One day Gaster found out Vivienne was pregnant with you.”  
Ryou blushed, “That must’ve been interesting.”  
“Yeah, Gaster was overwhelmingly happy…but someone found out she was here in the underground. Gaster snuck her to the barrier and was able to push her through.”  
Ryou chewed her lip a bit as she tried to imagine, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t envision it. “My mother never mentioned the underground.”  
Sans nodded, “I’m not surprised, when Gaster disappeared…so did all memories involving him.”  
Ryou clenched her fists, “I wonder if…things would’ve been different if the accident never happened.”  
Sans paused, “I wonder that as well.”  
The giant tub was deep enough that the water was at her ribs while she stood, she let herself sink underwater a moment, then surfaced to smooth back her hair. The warm water was continuously heated by magic within the tub itself, so it was always at the perfect temperature. She let herself lay back to float on the water, “I wish we had this tub at home.”  
Sans suddenly laughed, “I was afraid you would say that.”  
A thought popped into her head, “Huh, I’m curious…what do monsters do when they have children? I noticed a lack of a hospital here so…”  
Sans shrugged, “Most monsters have home births.”  
Ryou felt a little twinge of fear in her stomach, “What happens if there are complications?”  
“Complications? Like what?”  
Ryou thought it best not to mention them at that moment, “Humans can have problems but I’m half monster so I’m not worried.”  
Sans looked relieved, “Got me a little worried there.”  
Ryou smiled and turned over to swim a bit. She got back on her feet, “You worry too much.”  
He rolled his eyes with a smile, he looked away, “After the hell I’ve lived through I have every right to be.”  
Ryou splashed him, “You’re not the only one.”  
He wiped the water off his face, “That may be true, but I worry a SKELE-TON.” There was a long pause, Ryou stared at him with a frown, then splashed him again. He grunted and shook the water from his eyes, “Come on, that is my favorite pun!” She splashed him again. He stood up and used his magic to splash her. “Stop that splashing me.”  
Ryou wiped her eyes, “What are you going to do?”  
He grinned, “Baby you have no idea.” His eye glowed brightly against the dimly lit bathroom.  
Ryou’s eyes did the same and she grinned back, “Bring it.”  
There was a splashing war in the tub for a while until Ryou felt her magic being over used and she powered down. Seeing the opportunity Sans picked up a massive amount of water with his magic and grinned.  
He chased Ryou in the water with a large ball of water floating over him, “Come here baby, I got a present for you!” He laughed.  
She scurried away from him, “SANS DON’T YOU DARE!”  
There was a large splash of water as the ball landed on Ryou. She began to float on the water, her eyes were closed. Sans rushed to her side, “Oh shit…” He looked her over. “Babe-“  
Ryou’s eyes flashed open and before Sans could react she spit water at him from her mouth. Sans let her go and coughed, “That was just gross.” Sans laughed and wiped his eyes.  
“But I got you.”  
He pulled her to him, “Water you talking about?”  
Ryou glared, “No…”  
“I’m feeling a STREAM of emotions right now.” Sans grinned.  
“Sans.” She warned.  
“You sure sound…crabby tonight.” He chuckled.  
“Why are you doing this...”  
“Come on baby, don’t play koi with me.”  
“Fish puns…now you’re making fish puns in the tub?”  
Sans shrugged, “It a-PIERS you don’t care for fish puns.”  
Ryou let herself sink under the water, Sans pulled her back up with a laugh, “Okay Okay I’m done…halibut me and you get out?”  
Ryou tackled him into the water with a groan of irritation. When they surfaced she was laughing, “I love you so much you goober.” She splashed him a bit and kissed him.  
Sans placed a hand on her cheek, “Goober? Jeez, the nicknames are getting weirder.”  
“Rather me call you a dork?”  
Sans paused then burst into hysterics. He was laughing so hard tears began to stream down his face, “B-Babe, I love you too.” He wheezed through his giggles. “But that was just horrible.”  
Ryou grinned, “Well, it’s a good thing you know what that is then.”   
He nodded and wiped his eyes with a final chuckle, “Yeah, I’ve read a lot of books from the surface while working with your dad.” He cleared his throat and calmed himself. “I know more than I should.”  
Ryou nodded to herself, “Well, I think we should get out and-“  
“Aww, already?” Sans sank into the water more feigning sadness.  
Ryou giggled a bit, “Come on lazy bones.”  
“That’s Mr. Lazybones!” He chuckled and got out to grab their towels. Ryou hopped out and sighed happily. “That was great.”  
Sans wrapped himself in the blanket sized towel and handed one to Ryou, “I didn’t ever realize how big Asgore and Toriel really were until seeing how big these towels are.”  
Ryou nodded as she wrapped herself like a cocoon in the warm fabric, “But these are pretty cool.”  
“Their water bill must be large.” He snorted.  
Ryou laughed, “That very big of you to say.”   
“I mean their bathtub is pretty sizeable.”  
“There are a considerable amount of puns being made.”  
Sans laughed, “A vast number of puns.”  
“I have an enormous sense of dread if this continues.”  
Sans nodded, “I’m immensely proud of that.”  
Ryou laughed, “Come on bonehead, let’s go get dressed so I can relax properly.”

Time slipped by with Ryou going once every two weeks to Toriel’s house to relax. Ryou loved how nice Toriel was to them, she always remembered to thank her when she got there and before she left. Four months passed by without warning, Ryou’s baby bump was showing at this point and she did all she could to hide it, she felt it becoming more and more real as the months blew by.   
Ryou was snuggled up to Sans’s side next to Papyrus who had Mettaton in almost the same position. They had been watching one of Mettaton’s movies, one about the love of a Robot and a Fire monster, how their love was too…heated.  
Ryou snickered, “Too HOT to handle.” She murmured to Sans who chuckled softly.  
“Their love is a BURNING flame, don’t you think?”  
Ryou snorted, “That was a good one, way to turn up the HEAT.”  
They peaked to Mettaton and Papyrus who looked irritated, causing Ryou and Sans to stifle their laughter. Ryou gasped suddenly, causing Sans to freeze. Ryou could feel something hitting her on the inside against her stomach. She shot into the sitting position and stared at her belly.  
“What’s wrong?” Sans asked placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.  
Ryou cupped a hand to her mouth…he was kicking. She immediately grabbed Sans’s hand and pulled his hand to her stomach, “Whoa babe that-“ Sans’s eyes widened a bit as their child gently kicked his hand. “What is that?”  
“SOMETHING WRONG, RYOU?”  
“He’s kicking!” She cried happily.  
“Whose kicking whom?” Mettaton asked looking around Ryou to see Sans frozen in awe staring at Ryou’s stomach.   
Sans snapped out of his trance and grabbed his brother’s hand, “Pap, you gatta feel this!” He said excitedly and placed Papyrus’s hand on her belly.  
“SANS I DON’T THINK THIS IS APPRO-OH MY GOD IT MOVED!” Papyrus squeaked.  
Mettaton stared curiously, “May I feel?”  
“Yes!” Ryou giggled.  
Mettaton gently placed a hand on her belly, “Oh goodness, does that not hurt?”  
Ryou shook her head and giggled, “Feels really weird though. Hey, why don’t you say something to him Papyrus?”  
Papyrus’s sockets suddenly sparkled, “R-REALLY? HE CAN HEAR US?”  
Ryou smiled, “Yeah.”  
Papyrus leaned in and waved a bit to her stomach, “HELLO AIDEN! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS! YOU’RE AMAZINGLY TALENTED UNCLE! I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE YOU AND MAKE YOU LOTS OF SPAGHETTI!”  
Mettaton smiled excitedly, “And I’ll be your Uncle Tonton!”  
Sans raised a brow, “Ton…ton?”  
Mettaton blushed, “It was what my little Blooky called me when I first got my beautiful rectangular body, I thought it would be awfully cute if he started to call me that.”   
Papyrus smiled, “I THINK IT’S WONDERFUL, METTATON!”  
Ryou looked to Sans, “Do you want to say hi?”  
Sans blushed and looked away shyly, “I…don’t know what to say really.” He looked back and gulped. “Okay then.”  
Ryou watched him place his hands to her belly and smile, “Hey there buddy…” He placed his forehead to Ryou’s stomach. “Don’t make us wait too long, okay? I’m can’t wait to meet you.” He blushed. “I don’t even know you, but I love you already…I’m your dad.”  
Ryou felt her eyes tearing up and she blinked them away, “I think he heard you.”  
Sans pressed an ear to her belly, “I can hear him too…” He murmured.  
Papyrus gasped, “HE’S TALKING!?”  
“No, I can hear him moving.” Sans chuckled and pulled back to look up at Ryou who was smiling happily down at him. “This is so weird; I’ve never heard anything like this.”  
Ryou nodded, “It’s weird feeling it from the inside, it’s too bad you can’t feel it like I do.”  
Sans blinked, “Well, there is something we can do so I can.”  
“Really?”  
Sans nodded, “I can touch your soul, and I’ll be able to feel everything you’re feeling.”  
Ryou’s eyes widened, “You can do that?!”  
Sans laughed, “Yeah, I’ve always been able to do that, everyone here can.”  
Ryou nodded, “So I just…”  
“Let your soul out like you do when in a fight.”  
Ryou nodded and let her soul drift away from herself, illuminating the room in a cotton candy pink glow. Sans smiled and held his hands out to cup it in his hands, “Okay here we go.” He closed his eyes and let his own soul out. He pressed his soul to hers, bathing the room in a light purple.  
Sans gasped, his eyes flew open and his soul retracted back into his body, “Whoa…” He breathed and held a hand to his chest, “Jeez babe…that was thrilling and terrifying.”  
Ryou blinked, “So?”  
“I felt…everything…I could feel your skin, your muscles, heart pumping blood in your veins…I could feel Aiden kicking you. Everything…” He seemed entranced with her. “Is…that what it’s like being human?”  
“It’s a nuisance sometimes but it’s not terrible.” Ryou laughed.  
Papyrus blinked, “MAY I TRY?”  
Ryou’s soul went back into her body suddenly and Sans shook his head, “No bro, that was too intimate…even for me.” He said resting his head against Ryou’s belly. “Humans really are incredible.”  
“YOU USED TO HATE THEM, DIDN’T YOU?”  
Sans nodded, “Yeah, I did…before all of this I really did. I don’t feel that way anymore.”  
Ryou blushed, “I would hope not.” She gasped as Aiden gave her a big kick to her belly. “Oh gosh…Aiden my organs aren’t made for soccer.” She wheezed.  
Sans snorted, “Cut your mom a little slack, kid.” He nuzzled her belly a bit.  
Mettaton smiled wide, “I should throw you one of those…oh gosh what did Alphys call it?” He thought a moment. “Oh! Baby Showers!”  
“What’s the difference between a regular shower and a baby shower?” Sans asked looking up at Ryou.  
“I…I don’t really know.” She admitted.   
“Alphys says it is a party you throw for someone who is going to have a baby!” Mettaton said excitedly. “And of course, since you are friends with me~ I am willing to plan it for you for free.”  
“Oh gosh, thank you so much.” Ryou said smiling.   
Mettaton nodded, “It’ll be fantastic! Better than all those regular human ones.”  
Sans shrugged and smiled, “I’m not one to turn down something so generous, sure. Make it the Mettaton way.”   
Mettaton blushed, “T-Thank you Sans.”  
Papyrus looked back and forth between his brother and Mettaton, then smiled, “SOUNDS GREAT!”  
Ryou felt the kicking calm to little bumps, “Well, now that the little monster has finally calmed down, I think I need a nap.”  
Sans jumped on the couch beside her and opened his arms to her, “Come here, use me as a pillow.”  
Ryou obliged and nuzzled him, “Thank you…” She murmured as she got comfortable and closed her eyes. She didn’t see the biggest smile on Sans’s face as she lay there, he was overjoyed.


	27. Fearing the Worst

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was...so friggen hard to write for some reason x___x anybody ready for a new baby? >B3

Before long Ryou found it getting harder and harder to get comfortable; not that her bed wasn’t good and fluffy, but with her swelling stomach in the way it made her position options limited. She began to get sore easier and her back hurt more than ever. She thanked Toriel for the relaxing baths she could take at her house, but Sans had begun a daily ritual of massaging her back before she went to bed. Not that he minded, he knew she was in pain.  
She had only spoken to Gaster a few times during this time, but she knew it was because of her restlessness. When she finally fell asleep she found herself lying more comfortably than ever. She opened her eyes to see Gaster smiling at what she could only assume was a setting sun. Ryou smiled.  
“Dad…”  
He looked down at her, “Evening, Ryou.”  
Ryou noticed Gaster had made a fluffy bed for her, “How have you been?”  
Gaster laughed, “I’ve been keeping an eye on you.”  
Ryou grinned, “Makes you sound like a creeper.”  
Gaster blushed a bit, “W-Well I’m not trying to be! I’m just…ahem, making sure Sans is doing his job correctly!”  
Ryou narrowed her eyes, “Dad, he’s doing just fine.”  
Gaster sighed, “I know…it makes it feel like I’m there with all of you.”  
Ryou bit her lip, “Could you…at least come to our timeline for a short span of time? I mean…when Aiden is born I want him to have a picture of you at least.”  
Gaster took in her words and sighed, “I…I can, but for a very short time.”  
Ryou nodded to herself then spoke, “How long is a short time?”  
“Less than ten minutes.”  
Ryou looked away then back, “Ten minutes? That’s plenty of time.”  
Gaster smiled, “I hope that is enough for you.”  
“But will it be enough for Sans..?”  
Gaster frowned a bit and wrung his hands, “I don’t know.”  
Ryou put her hand on Gaster’s shoulder, “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to him. We’ll set something up.”  
Gaster nodded, “I’m afraid I can only be seen by you two. Anyone else wouldn’t be able to handle the memory of me.”  
“Sure,” She thought a moment. “It’s a shame though…”  
Gaster raised a brow, “What is?”  
Ryou smiled weakly, “You know, I have been thinking about your friendship with Grillby.”  
Gaster’s eyes widened, “Why?”  
She bit her lip, “I know you two used to be good friends, it’s just a shame you both can’t…see one another.”  
Gaster shrugged, “He doesn’t remember me anyways.”  
“How can you say that?”  
Gaster placed his arm around Ryou and hugged her, “In order to accept my fate, I had to let go of many things. You and your mother were the hardest to let go.”  
“But I’m here now, right?” Ryou smiled. “I’m not leaving you.”  
Gaster’s eyes softened and he placed a kiss to her forehead, “I certainly hope not.”  
Ryou touched her stomach, “Do you…already know what Aiden will be like?”  
Gaster nodded, “He’s going to be a handful, but he’ll be well behaved. He has a big family, so he’ll be well loved…but please do make sure if he trains with Undyne that he wears a helmet.”  
Ryou laughed, “Oh good.”  
“He’ll be shy, but not to worry, he’ll grow out of it.”  
“Really?”  
Gaster nodded, “Indeed, he’ll be strong and cocky like his dad, but kind and caring.”  
Ryou touched her belly, “You can…already see him in adulthood?”  
Gaster shrugged, “Of course.”  
Ryou smiled, “Can I…see what he’s like in the future?”  
Gaster blinked, “That’s the first time you’ve asked to see anything.”  
“That’s because I didn’t really know if I could.”  
With a wave of Gaster’s hand a tear opened in the space in front of them and inside was a man standing tall with a mess of black hair and a cigarette in his mouth. His Cyan eyes illuminated their black background with a soft glow, he looked…dangerous. He wore a black parka; the fur around the hood was a creamy white and looked soft to the touch. He inhaled the smoke and exhaled, looking out into the distance. He smiled crookedly with the cigarette placed between his teeth. Ryou wrinkled her nose, “GET THAT CRAP OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!” She hissed, then placed a hand over her mouth.  
Gaster closed the tear with a laugh, “Calm down, he’s an adult by then.”  
Ryou shook her head, “I don’t care.”  
Gaster shrugged, “Well, when he’s old enough to make his own decisions you will have to accept them.”  
Ryou hesitated, “Are you…referring to me too?”  
Gaster smiled and placed a comforting hand on her head, “I am your dad, someone who has watched your ups, downs, and every mistake you made. But you are an adult, I may have the power to change things, but I refuse to change you.”  
Ryou smiled and nodded, “I guess I will learn more in the future.”  
Gaster looked around, “Ah, you’re getting restless.”  
Ryou could feel herself slipping from the dream, “I’ll be sure to talk to Sans.”  
Gaster blushed a little, “Take care of yourself.”  
Ryou opened her eyes and felt her body heating up. She went to roll over when she felt Sans’s hands cupping her breasts, he was pressed up against her. She blushed heavily, “Sans…” He didn’t answer. She looked back to see he was snoring softly, but his hands didn’t let up on their assault. She winced, “S-Sans…easy…those are tender-“ She felt him pull on her nipple a little too hard and she cried out.  
“Hmm…” He hummed sleepily and his grip on her chest lessened.  
She went to wiggle away when the felt his grip tighten again, “SANS!”  
He jolted, eyes darting around frantically, “Wha..?”  
“Easy on the chest, Sans. That really hurt.” Ryou whined.  
Sans pulled his hands away, “I’m sorry babe, I was having a dream I was having a water balloon fight with Papyrus.” He yawned. “ I didn’t know I was grabbing…your chest…” Sans’s eyes wandered to her chest. “Have they always been that big?”  
“No,” Ryou giggled. “They are swollen because they make milk for Aiden.”  
Sans immediately looked fascinated, “Whoa, I didn’t know humans could do that.”  
“How else do I feed a hungry infant?”  
Sans thought a moment, “How long does that last?”  
Ryou thought a moment, “Until I can find a substitute for him to eat.”  
“That’s sorta…MILKING it, no?” He chuckled.  
“…Really?”  
Sans shrugged, “I work with what I got.”  
Ryou sighed and curled up under the blankets again, “Hey Sans…I have something I need to ask you.”  
Sans propped himself up on his arm and smiled, “Yes?”  
She hesitated, “After Aiden is born…how do you feel about Gaster coming to see him? It can only be fore ten minutes but-“  
“He wants to come back? But what about all that stuff about the timeline?” Sans asked frowning.  
“That’s why he only has ten minutes.” Their eyes met for a long moment before Sans looked away and sighed. Ryou could see the small glimmer of fear and excitement in his eye and she smiled. “It won’t be right this minute; I want him to be able to meet Aiden.”  
“Heh…I guess I have no choice.” He chuckled weakly then looked back at Ryou.  
She smiled, “Good.” She nuzzled him before planting a kiss on his mouth. Sans placed his hands on either side of her face, sliding his glowing tongue over her bottom lip. Ryou’s breath caught in her throat and she pulled back to look at him.  
Sans shrugged casually and chuckled, “What? I may not have lips but I can still kiss you.”  
Ryou blushed deeper, her eyes drifted to his mouth and she bit her lip, “It was just unexpected.”  
“Did you not like it?”  
Ryou smiled shyly, “Of course I did.”  
Sans gave her a wide grin and began to crawl closer to her, “Then why do you look so unsure?”  
“I…” She looked away and blushed more. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  
Sans’s smile faded and his eyes darkened as he pulled her to him and caressed her cheek with his thumb, “I love you Ryou.”  
Ryou’s heart swelled with affection and she gazed into his eyes, “I love you too Sans.”  
He bent his head to kiss her again, watching as her eyes drifted closed. He felt his need to be closer to her heighten and he ran a hand through her hair while his other circled her waist with her belly pressed to his ribs. Without warning Ryou could feel the kicking start up once again, Sans shuddered, “I can feel that.” He snorted. “Come on kid, cut your mom a break.”  
Ryou laughed, “It doesn’t hurt.”  
“I know, but I’m trying to frisk you and he’s giving me a beat down.” Sans chuckled.  
Ryou rolled her eyes, “Oh I see, you weren’t just cuddling me to cuddle me.”  
Sans shrugged, “What? I can cuddle you all the time, but it’s been a while and I thought being subtle would...make it a little more special?”  
Ryou couldn’t help smiling, “It’s always special to me, Sans…any time I have with you is special.”  
Sans smiled back and nuzzled her, “I’m really glad to hear that…”  
Ryou suddenly felt him shift until he fell back onto the bed snoring softly. Ryou blinked a few times as she processed, “Did you just…” She started but held her tongue. She leaned in to kiss his forehead and snuggled up to him. She felt Sans’s arms around her, pulling her closer until her head rested on his shoulder, then the snoring began again. With a quiet giggle, Ryou closed her eyes once more and let herself drift to sleep.

A month passed and Sans was now convinced Ryou had gone insane. She was zooming from room to room, scrubbing the walls, the floors, the tables…even began to scrub the carpet. She would clean until Sans stopped her, then she would begin to cry. He was afraid she was losing it until Toriel explained to him what “Nesting” was and the mood swings were normal. He felt more relieved, but still found it weird.  
“I’ve never seen anybody like this before.” Sans admitted to Toriel as they sat in the kitchen. “She’s just…racing around trying to clean everything, even if she cleaned it yesterday.”  
Toriel laughed, “I’m sure she’s enjoying the rest then.”  
Sans nodded and looked out to the living room where Ryou was asleep on the couch with a blanket wrapped around her, “I’m just glad she stopped for a while.”  
Toriel nodded and sipped her tea, “Shouldn’t be too much longer Sans.”  
He looked back at Toriel, “You mean like…any day?”  
She laughed, “No, I don’t think that soon, but soon enough.”  
He began to tap his fingers on the table, “How much longer does he need to cook?” He chuckled.  
Toriel thought a moment before answering, “Hmm, I would say about…two, maybe three months.”  
Sans’s head hit the table, “That’s not soon.”  
Toriel laughed, “Oh goodness Sans, I’ve never seen you so impatient before.”  
He looked up at her, “I’m just excited to meet the little guy, more so having my…” He cleared his throat and blushed. “M-My fiancé back.”  
Toriel frowned a bit, “Oh Sans…this is a really big step for you both, I don’t think either one of you will be the same.”  
Sans thought that over then looked at Ryou again, “I hope…she doesn’t change too much.”  
“Sans,” Toriel said and pat his head. “You’ll both be just fine.”  
He smiled and looked back at Toriel, “I believe you.”  
She nodded and got up, “I need to go pick up Frisk, will you be okay?”  
Sans grinned and shrugged, “Hey, it’s me we’re talkin about.”  
Toriel giggled a little, “Yes, and that is why I asked.”  
Sans groaned and ushered her, “Go on, get out of here.” Sans chuckled playfully and walked her to the door.  
Toriel laughed, “Alright then, I’ll see you both soon!”  
He waved, “See ya.”  
Just then Sans heard Ryou’s phone going off. Closing the door he heard Ryou shuffle to get her phone. He walked over to the couch and plopped down beside her. Ryou answered the phone sleepily , “Hello?...Oh hey Mettaton…yeah, Sans’s is here…I’ll put him on, just a second.” She smiled and handed him the phone.  
Sans raised a brow and took it, “Uh…hey Mettaton, what’s up?”  
“Hello Sans, sorry for the short notice but I am throwing her baby shower tomorrow! I’ll have someone over to decorate and bring all of the guests.”  
Sans paused, “Wait…what?”  
He could hear Mettaton sigh in irritation, “Party. Tomorrow afternoon. For Ryou. Someone coming to your house to set everything up in the morning. Did you get all of that?”  
“Uh…yeah, I heard you the first time. But why throw it tomorrow?”  
Mettaton sighed again, “Listen, I promised Ryou a beautiful baby shower and I got it all planned out already!”  
“I don’t remember you promising anything like that.” Sans chuckled.  
“WHY YOU UNGRATEFUL-!” Mettaton cut out a moment. “-AND I WOULD DO IT TOO!...Listen, just be READY, okay? Don’t screw this up!”  
Before Sans could say anything back the line went dead. Sans handed Ryou her phone and sighed, “The calculator’s throwing you a baby shower tomorrow…just to let you know.”  
Ryou’s eyes widened, “Oh…I forgot he was doing that.”  
Sans nodded, “I barely remember him saying anything of the sort.”  
Ryou shrugged and sighed, “Well, I guess we’ll have to get ready, won’t we.”

The house was decorated in a wide variety of color, lined with flowers, gifts, and food made specially for this day. Sans had an arm around Ryou’s shoulder as they sat on the couch in exhaustion, “This…was a terrible idea.” Sans whispered.  
Ryou looked up at him and nodded, “The house looks like a fruit bowl.” She giggled quietly.  
Sans chuckled, “It’s just missing all the fruit.”  
Everyone was at the house now except Asgore and Frisk, Ryou was more than uncomfortable with all the attention. Mettaton had put a sort of spotlight on her that she really didn’t want, but Papyrus was zooming around the house to make sure it went flawlessly, and she couldn’t bring herself to say how uncomfortable she really was.  
A slight pain started in her stomach, she ignored it at first but as the horror show progressed the pain became almost unbearable. She broke into a sweat and started shaking, “Sans…” She whispered.  
Sans looked her over, “Uh…yeah? You okay?”  
Ryou shook her head, “Something’s wrong.”  
“What is it?”  
Ryou placed a hand over her stomach, “Sans…I…I’m scared I might be…” She took a deep breath and shook her head.  
He cocked his head to the side, “I don’t think I understand.”  
Ryou grit her teeth, “Sans…take me up to our room and please get Alphys.”  
He blinked in confusion but nodded, “Yeah, no problem.”  
He picked her up and teleported them to their room and placed her on the bed, “Babe, what’s going on?”  
She hissed in pain, “I’m scared…I think I’m going into labor…”  
“What does that mean?” Sans’s voice raised in a panic.  
She let out a pained cry, “Get Alphys…” She choked out.  
In an instant he was gone. Ryou curled into a ball and clutched her stomach, “Ow…”  
Just then Sans was back with Alphys beside him. Without hesitation Alphys looked her over, prodded around her stomach, nodding to herself every now and again. Just then the bedroom door opened and all their friends walked in. Toriel took ahold of Sans’s shoulder, “Alphys?”  
There was a moment of hesitation, “I-I think the f-fetus is slipping down to the birth canal and-“  
“English Alphys.” Undyne said folding her arms.  
Sans looked horrified, “What’s happening?”  
Toriel nodded, “Okay everybody, downstairs!” She pushed everyone to the door. “Please keep Sans downstairs and keep him calm.”  
Undyne blinked, “What’s happening, though?”  
Toriel smiled, “To sum it up there is a child being born and I promise you this, you do not want to be in here.”  
Everyone went wide eyed and walked downstairs. Sans hesitated, “Shouldn’t I be-“  
Toriel gave him a stern look, “The best thing you can do is wait Sans.”  
He nodded slowly, “Get me if anything happens, please?”  
Toriel nodded and walked back into the room, when the door shut Sans walked to the couch and sat down. Everyone was quiet until Papyrus spoke up, “SO…WHAT’S GOING ON?”  
Undyne grinned, “You’re about to be an uncle!” She threw her arms around him in a headlock. “Come here ya goober!”  
Sans was visibly shaking, he stared at the door for what felt like forever. Mettaton sat beside him, “Well, I wasn’t expecting this.”  
“Yeah…”  
“I thought humans took longer to have babies? Nine months or something like that, at least that’s what that human book said.” Undyne folded her arms. “If I counted correctly, this was only seven months.”  
Sans felt fear gripping his insides, “Then what’s happening?”  
“Isn’t she half monster?”  
Sans nodded and looked to his friends who all looked worried and puzzled, “Yeah, do you think that could play a part?”  
Undyne nodded, “Well, all species of monsters have a different set time to develop if I remember correctly, could take from five to nine months depending on what kind of monster she is.”  
“Like me, but I don’t really know much about it…” Sans looked to Papyrus. “We lost our mom and dad at a young age and theirs nobody else like us in the underground, so neither of us really know.”  
A loud ear piercing scream echoed through the house, causing everyone to jump and cringe. Sans was halfway up the stairs when Papyrus caught him by the waist and pulled him back down to the couch, “LADY TORIEL TOLD US TO WAIT SANS!”  
Sans was set limply on the couch, “What the hell are they doing to her?”  
Papyrus shook his head and wrung his hands, “WE’RE ALL WORRIED SANS, BUT WE SHOULD TRUST THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING SMOOTH-“  
Another loud scream rang through the house and everyone covered their ears. Papyrus curled into a ball on the floor and covered his head with his hands, “THOUGH THE SCREAMING IS SCARING ME…”  
Undyne was shaking a bit, “That is s-some horrifying shit…” Her eyes were wide as she sat beside Papyrus.  
The screaming became continuous as the hours passed, everyone was fidgeting nervously now and Sans paced back and forth, “This is more agonizing than when she got stabbed by Chara!”  
Mettaton tapped his foot, “Everything is probably going fine.”  
There was audible sobbing and voices from the room and Sans’s eye flared, “I can’t take this!”  
The front door suddenly opened and Asgore walked in, “Howdy! Sorry we’re late every-oh…golly, what’s going on here?”  
Frisk walked in beside him and signed, “What’s happening?”  
Undyne stood up on shaking legs, “Kid’s comin.”  
Asgore smiled, “Oh goodness, already? That was fast-“ Another scream pierced everyone’s ears and Asgore’s eyes widened, “Goodness…”  
Everyone cringed a bit and Sans clenched and unclenched his fists, “This is agonizing.”  
Papyrus was a sobbing mess on the couch, “SHE’S NOT DYING IS SHE?” He sniffled.  
Sans looked to his brother, “N-No! Pap, she’s okay.”  
He shook his head, “I DON’T THINK HUMAN’S ARE MEANT TO SOUND LIKE THAT…”  
“Guys!” Undyne suddenly yelled. “Listen!”  
Everyone went quiet and as the noise settled, everyone noticed the house had gone eerily silent. Sans could almost hear his own internal screaming of fear, “Why…is it suddenly so quiet?”  
“You don’t think she-“ Mettaton cupped a hand over his mouth.  
Sans’s eyes shot to the door, “No…” He was up the stairs in the blink of an eye and he threw open the door, eyes full of tears and fear coursing through him he looked into the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the sudden cliffhanger but...have a cliffhanger ^^;;;


	28. When You See Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...I'm sorry guys, it's been hard to update regularly with school, homework, and driving back and forth between washington and oregon to help my mom move so I've been too busy to write. But I got this one out and it's ready...I think lol  
>  Btw: If anybody's curious what melody Asgore is humming, it's "His Theme" from the Undertale soundtrack...you'll get why X'3

Ryou felt like her body was being torn in half. The ripples of pain from head to toe were immeasurable and unbearable as she slipped in and out of consciousness. She felt her body stretching and pulling and tearing all at once and she screamed, but no sound could be heard. She felt like she was going to die, that at any second she would slip away. The darkness felt so good, so peaceful to her it was almost like falling asleep. She reached for it, away from the agonizing pain she was feeling in the light.  
“Ryou…you have to stay determined…” She could hear Gaster whisper to her.  
She felt herself floating into darkness, “But…I don’t want to…” She tried to convince herself, no pain was good…right? It felt good…  
“Yes you do, what about your son…?...What about Sans…?”   
Ryou felt another painful tug, “S…Sans?” She looked back at the light and she could almost see him smiling at her  
“…Don’t you love him..? Don’t you want to be there for your child..?”  
Ryou felt her chest fill with something, like her heart was beating twice as hard and her body was pulsing. She looked towards the light, knowing what was going to come. She turned and looked back at the darkness, “No…I have to go back.” She looked to the light and forced herself back into consciousness. The will to live for her family filled her with determination.

Sans stepped into the room, holding his breath…fearing the worst. Toriel turned her head to him, “Sans…”   
“Is she…”  
Toriel turned back around, “She’s unconscious but she’s alive.”  
Sans exhaled and walked in further, “And Aiden?”  
Toriel turned herself to him with a blanket bundled in her arms, “He’s right here.” She said with a wide smile.  
Sans blinked a few times and stared at the bundle. Toriel moved it a bit to reveal the child’s sleeping face. He had a small bit of black hair on his head and pale almost white skin, he…he was so tiny. Toriel walked up to him and held the child out for Sans to take. He stared up at her, an almost frightened look on his face. “It’s alright Sans.” She assured him.  
He struggled to lift his arms but managed to take the child. He struggled a bit but managed to comfortably hold him. He stared down, bewildered by the tiny person in his arms. Was this…real? Was he real? He gently touched the child’s cheek, rousing him from his sleep. His eyes opened a little, shining bright blue irises up at him, their light so beautiful against the black abyss of his eye. Sans smiled at Aiden, “H…Hey, Aiden.” The child stared at him for a moment before yawning falling back to sleep. Sans looked up to see an unfamiliar look on Toriel’s face. “You okay?”  
Toriel nodded and wiped her eyes, “He’s beautiful.” She gave him a gentle smile.  
Sans looked back down at his son and smiled, “Yeah…he is.”  
Alphys stood up and nodded, “Ryou should be okay, a-after he came out I g-gave her some medicine to help heal her up and dull the pain. She should be awake soon.”  
Sans looked to Ryou, “I hope so, she’s not going to want to miss this.” He smiled.  
Toriel rolled her eyes, “Go on, go introduce him to everyone.”  
Sans wiped his eyes, “Not until Ryou wakes up…I want him and I to be the first things she sees.”  
Toriel nodded, “Alright.” She looked to Alphys and smiled. “Well Alphys, I don’t know about you but I could use a shower and some tea.”  
Alphys nodded, “M-Mind if I use the shower first?”  
Toriel giggled, “Of course dear, I will put some tea on.” With that Sans was left standing alone with Aiden in his arms. He looked to Ryou, she looked like hell, sweat had dampened her hair and she was pale, but the constant rise and fall of her chest gave him comfort that she really was asleep. He didn’t know how the room wasn’t messy or bloody…it didn’t even smell like anything but their room…but he could see bloodied rags in his trash can. He looked to Ryou again, “Ryou…look, look at him.” Sans held the baby proudly in front of himself.  
Ryou twitched a bit and opened her eyes, she looked around hazily and then managed to turn her head to Sans. She blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted, “S…Sans…” She croaked.  
He stared into her eyes, “I’m here.” He murmured and put a hand to her cheek.  
She smiled weakly, “Why…am I so hazy..?”  
Sans chuckled, she sounded a little drunk, “Alphys gave you medicine for the pain and to help you heal faster.”  
Ryou’s eyes drifted to the child in Sans’s arms, “Oh…who is that?”  
Sans chuckled, “That’s Aiden.”  
Ryou blinked a bit to let her eyes adjust, “He’s...so beautiful…” She pulled her hand up to touch his cheek. “So sweet…”  
“Are you in pain..?”   
Ryou shook her head a bit, “No…I’m alright…but I…thought I heard my dad talking to me.” She looked over Aiden again. “Let me hold him…”  
Sans handed the infant to Ryou, “You okay to hold him right now?”  
She nodded, “I’m slowly but surely gaining some strength back.” Aiden fussed in her arms a moment before looking up at her. Ryou smiled and moved the blanket enough to free his arms. Ryou took his tiny hand in hers. “You’re name is Aiden…and you’re my baby.”  
The child blinked up at her then gave her a small smile. Sans played with Aiden’s other hand until the child took ahold of his finger. Sans froze and stared down at Aiden with a curious expression, his eyes were suddenly brimming with tears. Ryou reached a shaking hand to Sans’s face, “Are you okay?”  
Sans nodded, “I don’t understand why I am so overwhelmed right now…” He whispered. “I feel so happy I can barely stand it.”  
Ryou smiled, “I am too.”  
Sans rested his head on her shoulder and smiled down at Aiden, “I was…a little afraid of what he would look like.”  
“I knew he would come out looking like a heart breaker.” She giggled.   
Sans snorted, “Heart breaker…does he…even have one?”  
Ryou blinked, “I don’t know.”  
Sans leaned in and gently put his head to the baby’s chest and listened. There was a faint flutter of sound, a definite heartbeat, “Yeah, he does.” Sans nuzzled the child before leaning back, “Would you mind it if I took him out to see everyone?”  
Ryou hesitated but nodded, “Yeah, just be careful with him.”  
Sans rolled his eyes, “When am I not careful with kids?”  
Ryou raised a brow, “Frisk?”  
Sans chuckled nervously, “That was an accident.”  
Ryou smiled and handed Aiden to him, “I trust you will be careful…I’m going to rest a little longer…I feel like I got hit by a train.”  
“Train..?”  
“Think of a car, but has multiple carts and can carry people or supplies…all made of metal.”  
Sans winced, “Can I get you anything for that?”  
She shook her head and leaned into the pillows, “Just need to rest.” She mumbled. “Go introduce him.”  
Sans hesitated before getting to his feet and walking out of the room. He gently closed the door and headed for the living room. He held Aiden close as he walked, his stomach was twisting in knots and he was shaking a bit. Was this real?  
When he got to the bottom of the stairs he looked up to see all of his friends smiling at him. He felt his chest warming and tears swimming in his eyes as he smiled back. Everyone got up and swarmed around him, looking at the tiny baby in Sans’s arms. Undyne looked down at Aiden with fascination, “He’s…so small.” She murmured.  
Papyrus had an enormous smile plastered to his face as he looked over Aiden, “HE WILL GROW TO BE A STRONG MONSTER LIKE US! ESPECIALLY WITH YOUR TRAINING, UNDYNE!”  
Undyne grinned, “Heck yeah, he’ll be a fighting machine when I’m through with him!”  
Sans gave Undyne a smiled but his eye glowed, “That can wait a while.”  
Undyne smiled back nervously, “Right! He’ll need to grow a little bigger first.”  
Frisk tugged on Sans’s shirt and smiled up at him. Sans looked down and smiled back, “Hey kiddo.”  
“Can I hold him?” Frisk signed.  
Sans chuckled and knelt down, “Be careful with him, Ryou would kill me if something happened to him.”  
Frisk took the bundle in her arms and smiled down at him. She looked back up at Sans, she was beaming. She gently placed a kiss on Aiden’s forehead, rousing him from his sleep, Frisk smiled at him as he opened his eyes to look up at her. Frisk opened her mouth, “H…H…Hi…” Her voice was a little raspy but the word was clear.   
Everyone gasped and Asgore put a hand to his mouth, “Frisk! You…You spoke!”  
Sans smiled and watched Aiden blink at Frisk, then give her a small smile. Frisk giggled a bit then handed him back to Sans. She signed to him, “I can’t say much, but I can manage a few.”  
Sans stood up and looked to Papyrus, “Here, bro, you want to hold him?”  
Papyrus was about to say no when Mettaton walked into the room, “OH! Is Sans back already?” He walked up and saw Aiden fussing in Sans’s arms. His cheeks turned pink and his eyes widened, “Oh, is that a baby!? How adorable! Oh Papy, hold him won’t you?”  
Papyrus blushed a bit as Sans handed Aiden over to him. Papyrus stared down at him, “H-HELLO…LITTLE MONSTER.” He gulped. “I’M NOT GOING TO HURT HIM…RIGHT?”  
Sans laughed, “No, you’re doing fine.”  
Papyrus’s smile became more confident, “AH YES, WELCOME TO THE UNDERGROUND! I AM YOUR UNCLE, THE GREAT PAPYRUS! AND THIS IS YOUR OTHER UNCLE METTATON.”  
Mettaton’s eyes were sparkling, “Oh Darling, you look positively adorable with him!” Mettaton came a little closer and smiled down at Aiden. “I’m your Uncle Tonton…” He giggled.  
Aiden yawned a little as his eyes fluttered closed. Mettaton put his hands to his face and hummed happily. Papyrus planted a light kiss on Aiden’s forehead, “I CANNOT WAIT TO SHARE MY SPAGHETTI WITH YOU! WE’LL PLAY IN THE SNOW, GO ADVENTUING IN WATERFALL WITH UNDYNE, THEN WE CAN TRAIN! WE CAN STAY UP AND WATCH MOVIES…BUT OF COURSE YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH!”  
Sans chuckled, “He’s on a milk diet for now and won’t do much more than sleep.”  
“ONLY MILK? OH WOWIE, HE WILL HAVE SOME VERY STRONG BONES!” Papyrus yelled. Aiden woke up then, seemingly startled by the change in tone. He whimpered and everyone looked to him. Then his eyes closed as he let out a loud wail. Papyrus panicked, “OH! NO…D-DON’T CRY!”  
Sans took Aiden, “Hey, it’s okay, don’t cry Aiden!”  
Undyne covered her ears, “Holy moly that kid has some lungs!”  
Mettaton began to soothe Papyrus who looked ready to cry, “It’s okay dear, sometimes you can’t control the volume of your voice, you didn’t know.”  
Sans struggled to soothe Aiden’s crying but to no avail, “What do I do?” He asked helplessly. “I…I don’t know how to fix this!”  
Asgore walked up, “I hope you…wouldn’t mind if I held him?”  
Sans turned to Asgore then handed Aiden to him. Asgore cradled him to his chest and began to gently rock him back and forth, humming an old melody, something that sounded familiar to him. After a minute Aiden calmed, sniffling before falling asleep again. Asgore chuckled as he handed him back to Sans, “Babies are very sensitive to noise and temperature, keep him warm and keep the noise down, he won’t fuss too much.”  
Sans stared at Asgore for a long moment, “T-Thank you.”  
Asgore shrugged, “I had a son once upon a time, Toriel and I struggled to find ways to soothe him when he would cry…that melody always put him right to sleep.”   
Sans looked down at Aiden, his face a little red from crying, “Heh…thanks, Asgore.” He looked back up to the king. “I can’t thank you and Toriel enough for your help.”

After a few hour Ryou felt like herself again. She was able to stand, all pain in her body had virtually melted away, other than her being a bit sore she felt fine. She put on some of Sans’s sweatpants and her hoodie before opening the bedroom door. She looked over the railing to see Sans with Aiden on the couch, he was gently stroking Aiden’s cheek with his thumb as the child slept. Undyne, Alphys, Frisk, Papyrus, and Mettaton were all asleep on the floor and she could hear Asgore and Toriel talking in the kitchen. She got halfway down the stairs when Papyrus roused.  
“OH! RYOU!” He scrambled to get up, once he did he bounded to Ryou and swept her off her feet. “I WAS VERY FRIGHTENED FOR YOU! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?”  
Sans looked up from Aiden, “How are you feeling?”  
“I’m alright, I’m just very thirsty.” Ryou’s voice was going away, Sans assumed from all the screaming earlier.   
“Paps, would you mind setting her over here? I’ll go get her some water.”  
Papyrus set her on the couch, then Sans handed Aiden to her, “Hold him for a few while I get you some water.”  
Sans got up and headed for the kitchen, Papyrus sat on the other side of the couch and shifted nervously, “ARE YOU…SURE YOU’RE OKAY?”  
Ryou could see the fear and worry on his face, she didn’t doubt all of her screaming scared him, “Papyrus, would I lie to you?”  
He looked shocked, “I SUPPOSE NOT.”  
Ryou nodded, “I’m alright Pap, I’m just tired. It was a painful and exhausting experience, but you don’t need to worry, I am alright, I promise.”  
This seemed to lighten some of the worry, “WELL…ALRIGHT THEN, BUT DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK ME FOR ANYTHING! I ALWAYS LOVE TO HELP!”  
“Actually, there is one thing that you can do for me.”  
Papyrus seemed eager, “OF COURSE! WHAT DO YOU NEED?”  
“I would love some of your spaghetti right about now. You think you can make us all dinner?”  
Papyrus hopped to his feet with a sparkle in his eye, “OF COURSE! I’M SO HAPPY YOU ASKED! I’LL GET STARTED RIGHT NOW!”  
Ryou watched him bound into the kitchen; she looked down at her sleeping child, “Oh my sweet Aiden…” She nuzzled him and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you.”  
When Sans came back he sat beside her and handed the glass to her, taking Aiden back. She downed the water and sighed, laying her head on Sans, “How’s he doing? I heard him crying earlier.”  
Sans nodded, “He’s okay, Papyrus just scared him…was being a little too vocal, he was in tears, he thought he hurt him.”  
Ryou laughed softly, “Papyrus is so sweet, always worrying about others…”  
“Yeah, he’s always been such a good kid.” Sans smiled down at Aiden. “Aiden’s lucky to have him as an uncle.”  
Ryou nuzzled Sans, “He’s lucky he has you for a dad.”  
“How is that lucky?” He chuckled.  
Ryou pouted, “Don’t downgrade yourself, Sans.”  
He shrugged, “I’ll live.”  
Ryou smiled down at her sleeping friends and sighed, “I’m happy Sans, happy to be with you…happy to be a family.”  
Sans blushed, “I am too…I…I honestly feel bad for that other me. He won’t get to know what this is like with you.”  
Ryou looked away then shrugged, “He gave it up a long time ago, I moved on…somewhat.” She giggled a bit and looked back at him. “I think this was how everything should’ve been.”  
He planted a kiss to her forehead, “Then I have no reason to complain.”  
Ryou yawned and smiled at Aiden, “He’s so tiny, so cute I can’t even believe it…he has black hair like my mom.”  
“Or like me if I had hair?”  
Ryou bit back her laughter at the thought of Sans with a head full of hair, “I think that’s just a mystery.”  
“What’s that look for? Something…humerus?” He chuckled softly.  
Ryou covered her mouth, “Hey, I’m trying to keep quiet Sans or we’ll wake him up.” She mumbled past her hand.  
Sans laughed softly, “Hey, it’s not my fault you laugh at my terrible jokes.”  
The house began to smell of spaghetti and Ryou’s stomach growled, “Oh gosh, I don’t want to rush him but I am starving…”  
Sans looked down to see Aiden starting to fuss and whimper, “Oh no…don’t start crying…”  
Ryou pulled the baby from him and opened her shirt, she glanced at Sans who was staring at her chest, “Could…uh…not stare?”  
Sans looked away with a nervous laugh, “S-Sorry…what are you doing..?”  
“Feeding him?” Ryou murmured as she held Aiden close to her.   
Sans glanced back, “Huh…human bodies are still a little…foreign to me.”  
When Aiden was finished his cheeks were a bright red as he nestled into his blanket and fell asleep again. Sans turned back and rubbed the back of his head with a chuckle, “Looks happy.”  
Ryou leaned back and closed her eyes, “I’m sure with a full belly he’s quite happy.”  
“Do you want me to watch him while you rest?”  
Ryou nodded and handed him to Sans, “Sorry, I’m so tired…jeez, I thought I had a good amount of energy but I guess I was wrong.” She curled up against Sans and yawned. “Let me know when the food is done.”  
Sans smiled down at her, “Sure.” He took a moment to wrap his head around everything, he was part of a family, one he made his own…with someone who loved him. He was a dad now, he had someone to look after and teach, just as he did for Papyrus years and years ago. He was proud and ever more excited to prove himself, prove he was good enough for this…for Ryou, he would go to the ends of the planet and beyond to keep her happy, but what she had done for him made him the happiest person alive.


	29. Flowey?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, I am so sorry guys! I have been horribly sick and got behind in my classwork...forgive me! But I promise I will be updating again soon! Just give me time to think and recover! Thank you... <3

Ryou had been in a peaceful sleep when her phone buzzed. She groaned a little and turned over to grab her phone, bringing it to her ear she answered, “Hello?”  
“Ryou! O-Oh gosh, sorry to wake you but…I think I found Flowey!” Alphys stuttered in a frenzy.  
Ryou sat up, “You did? Where?”  
“I saw him outside Snowdin, I didn’t see Chara with him b-but he was definitely there!”  
Ryou looked over to see Sans fast asleep with Aiden in his arms and she bit her lip, deciding whether or not to wake him up, she was about to get out of bed when her conscious rang in her head, telling her to wake him. She shook him gently, “Sans, wake up.” She whispered.  
Sans groaned softly, “Come on babe…I just got to sleep…”  
Ryou hissed, “I think we found Flowey.”  
Sans’s eyes shot open, “What?”  
“Alphys is on the phone.” She handed him her phone and he put it to his head.  
“Hey, tell me…” He nodded a few times before saying goodbye. “Shit…” He sat up with Aiden still cradled in his arms. “Alright, I’ll go wake Pap, have him watch Aiden while we’re gone.”  
Ryou nodded and Sans got out of the bed. He stumbled across the room and opened their door. He stepped down the hallway and gently knocked on Papyrus’s door. As Ryou dressed herself she could hear Papyrus answer, “SANS..?” Papyrus asked sleepily. “IT’S SO EARLY, WHAT IS IT YOU NEED?”  
“Could you do me a huge favor bro and watch the kid?” Sans pleaded.  
Papyrus grumbled a moment, “OF COURSE, BUT WHY? WHERE ARE YOU TWO HEADED?”  
“We have something to do bro, don’t worry.” Sans said walking back down the hall. Ryou had pulled her boots on when Sans walked in. She looked up to see him staring at her.  
“What?” She asked standing.  
Sans blushed a little and smiled, “You look like you again.”  
Ryou looked down at herself, “Well, except my boobs are gigantic.”  
Sans shrugged, “A bonus.”  
Ryou glared, “Haha, hurry up and get dressed.”  
Sans chuckled as he pushed his feet into some old sneakers and pulled his hoodie on. He zipped it up and looked to Ryou, “You ready?”  
Ryou nodded, “Yeah.”  
They stormed out of the house, both of them, eyes swirling with magic as they ran. Upon finding the spot, it didn’t take long to find Flowey. He was swaying a bit in the cold breeze as he stared blankly into the distance. Ryou took a step forward, “Flowey.”  
Flowey slowly turned and Ryou’s heart twisted. Two of his petals were missing and he looked exhausted. He trembled at the sight of Sans, “What d-do you idiots want?”  
Sans grinned, “Looks like you lost something, buddy.”  
Flowey looked away, “Shut up.”  
Ryou took another step forward, “Why are you here?”  
Flowey looked back out at the cliffside, “I don’t know why I should tell you…” He sighed a bit. “I ran from Chara.”  
“Really? Why? I thought you were both evilly conspiring against us.”  
Flowey ruffled his leaves and petals in anger, “Yeah well…!” He looked away. “Chara…Chara isn’t the same as he was once before. He’s become something worse. He scares me.” He looked up and looked away with a glare. “I don’t need anything from you! Not your kindness or your concern!” He was puffed up but he slumped and sighed. “He tried to kill me after our failure and I went into hiding. You spared me, like a stupid pacifist…just like Frisk.” He looked away again but he seemed rather pained.  
Ryou folded her arms, “You know what you did to me, right? You know exactly the kind of hell you put me through…the hell you both put me through.” Ryou took a step closer with clenched fists. She glared down at him. “I’m a little disgusted with you.”  
Flowey looked to Sans with fear and Sans gave him a cold look, “Don’t look at me like that kid…you remember the kind of things I’m capable of doing to a weed like you, but because of her, I won’t lift a finger…though I’m itching to rip out a few more of those petals around your ugly mug.”  
Flowey looked up at Ryou with fear, “P-Please…I…I wouldn’t have done anything to you if Chara hadn’t pushed me into it!”  
Ryou took Flowey by the stem and glared at him, eyes burning with hatred, “You killed people I loved…hurt people you once loved and cared for!”  
Flowey trembled, “W-What are you doing?”  
Ryou began to slowly pull, “I’m doing what I wish I did years ago.” Without warning Ryou pulled Flowey out of the ground. Flowey writhed and squirmed in her hand, gasping as though he could no longer breathe. Ryou looked to Sans but he already had a pot in his hands, Ryou chose not to ask and took it from him. After placing Flowey into the pot and burying him in dirt she picked him up and glared at him, “I’m doing this so I can keep an eye on you.”  
Flowey puffed up, angry and shaking under her words, “YOU IDIOT! ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!”  
Sans took the pot from Ryou and grinned down at the shaking flower, “Looks like we’ll be babysitting you for a bit.”

Ryou sat back with Aiden in her arms while Sans kept an eye on Flowey. The flower seemed intrigued with Aiden but as his usual self, he wouldn’t act like anything but an angry weed. He snickered, “So, you and the skeleton had a kid, how absolutely disgusting…it even looks like an abomination.”  
Sans took ahold of one of Flowey’s petals and gently pulled, “Sorry I didn’t catch that.”  
“LET GO OF ME YOU STUPID SKELETON!” Flowey hissed.  
Ryou smiled, “Play nice.”  
Flowey glared, “Do I look like I’m playing around?!”  
Ryou shot him an evil look, “Do I?”  
Flowey shrank down a bit, “N-No…”  
Papyrus came into the room and sighed, “DINNER IS READY!...OH, YOU DIDN’T TELL ME WE HAD COMPANY!” Papyrus walked over to Flowey and smiled. “HELLO! MY NAME-“  
Without warning Ryou had put herself between him and Flowey, “P-Papyrus, let’s go eat, you can…introduce yourself later, yeah?”  
Papyrus blinked in confusion, “A-AH YES, I SUPPOSE YOU ARE RIGHT, AFTER ALL, I’M SURE EVERYONE IS HUNGRY.”  
Ryou looked back at Sans, he nodded and took Aiden from her. Flowey’s eyes followed the baby in curiosity. He looked genuinely curious about Aiden, “Let me make something clear to you Flowey,” She knelt down to see eye to eye with him. “For right now, your living here with us until I can find a way to separate you and Asriel. He doesn’t deserve to be trapped in there with a pathetic weed like you.”  
Flowey stared into her eyes, “I don’t care!” He hissed. “Do you really think I care about what happens to you or that bag of bones you call a boyfriend or his halfwit brother? NO! I don’t! I killed them before and if I wasn’t still weak from that pathetic fight I would’ve killed all of you!”  
“You do care, but you feared Chara more, isn’t that right?”  
Flowey choked a moment, “W-What? No! I work on my own!”  
Ryou grinned, “Months went by and you could’ve come after me when I was pregnant and vulnerable, but you didn’t.”  
Flowey blushed and growled, “I DON’T NEED ANYONE! I DON’T NEED CHARA, MY PARENTS, OR ANYBODY! I WOULD’VE KILLED YOU BUT…!” He hesitated and his body went limp. “But I couldn’t…you spared me…I…I can’t understand why you would spare me…WHY DIDN’T YOU KILL ME?!”  
Ryou pat him gently on the head, “Let’s go have dinner.”  
Flowey was picked up and brought to the dinner table, Ryou took Aiden in her arms and nuzzled him a bit, “Do you like the flower, Aiden?” Aiden gave Ryou a gummy smile and wiggled a bit in his wrap. Ryou giggled, “So cute.” She murmured then kissed his forehead.  
Sans was watching them, a loving look on his face. Flowey looked back and forth between Ryou and Aiden with curiosity, but soon looked away to stare at the plate of spaghetti sitting in front of him, “What kind of garbage is this?”  
Papyrus smiled wide, “OH DON’T SAY THAT UNTIL YOU’VE TRIED IT! I’M SURE YOU’LL LOVE IT ONCE YOU’VE TAKEN A BITE!”  
Flowey looked away but caught Sans’s eye, “Why don’t you take a bite?” Sans’s words were harmless but the intense poison behind them was…terrifying.  
Flowey shuddered before slurping up a noodle, chewing, then swallowing. His eyes were a bit wide and he looked confused. Papyrus smiled happily, “SEE?”  
Flowey glared around the table, scarfing the food like a rabid dog and growling a bit until the plate was clean. Ryou smiled and picked up a napkin to wipe Flowey’s face. Flowey flinched away with a hiss but Ryou held him still, “There, all clean.”  
“I’M NOT A BABY!” Flowey growled.  
Ryou giggled, “Then don’t eat like one.”  
Flowey shrank down a bit, “I hate you all…”  
Sans stood and took the baby from Ryou so she could eat. He bounced Aiden softly a bit to put him back to sleep, smiling down at him affectionately. Flowey made a gagging sound before looking to Papyrus, “I…I require more of that garbage.” He grumbled.  
Papyrus gave a big smile before taking the plate and filling it with more spaghetti, “THERE YOU ARE MY FRIEND! THERE IS PLENTY FOR EVERYONE, SO PLEASE HAVE ALL YOU WANT!”  
Flowey stared at Papyrus before turning his gaze back to the plate, “T…Thank you.”  
“YOU LOOK STRANGELY FAMILIAR, HAVE WE MET?”  
Ryou gave Flowey a look of pure warning and Flowey smiled at Papyrus nervously, “Ah…n-no, I think you’re thinking of another yellow flower!”  
Papyrus studied Flowey for a few moment’s longer, “WELL, IN ANY CASE, I’M HAPPY YOU ENJOYED MY COOKING!”  
Flowey began to devour his plate of food, taking cautious glances at Ryou then Sans until he finished. Ryou took his plate and everyone else’s plates and placed them in the sink, then began to wash. Papyrus took Aiden so Sans could keep an eye on Flowey, he grinned at the flower, “Seems you had a good meal.”  
Flowey blushed and looked away with a glare, “I can’t believe you’re all so stupid. Sparing me has done nothing, I’m not changing…even though I’m weak right now I will get stronger again, and when I do…I’ll have everything I need to get rid of you all.”  
Sans shrugged, “If Ryou believes there is a way to save you, I don’t have a place to judge her choices. But, I will tell you this,” He got very close to Flowey. “I really want to kill you for what you did to Ryou. For what you almost took away from me, you may not be able to feel love, but I guarantee that when I’m through with you, you will feel pain and lots of it.” He leaned back. “So behave yourself until Ryou can figure out what to do with you.” With that he left into the living room.  
Flowey turned to see Ryou watching him, “What are you gawking at?”  
Ryou grinned, “I think you’re afraid of him.”  
Flowey looked away, “Not a chance.”  
Ryou walked over and pat Flowey’s head, “I will be nice to you if you behave, okay?”  
Flowey hissed, “I DON’T NEED YOUR KINDNESS!”  
Ryou smiled happily, “Do you like Mettaton movies?”  
Flowey looked at her in disbelief, “Do…I what?”  
Ryou picked him up and brought him into the living room, “Come on, you’ll love this.”  
Flowey sat with everyone, watching a few movies and Flowey began to grow impatient and irritated by the fourth movie, so Ryou handed him to Sans. She took Aiden from Papyrus and smiled, “I think I’m going to take a nap.”  
“Sure thing babe.” Sans said, giving her an affectionate smile. Flowey mumbled something and Sans grinned down at him, “The flower said goodnight.”  
Flowey’s body went ridged and he ruffled is petals and puffed up a bit, he growled, “I-I never said that!”  
Ryou smiled, “Goodnight to you too.” She giggled and ascended the stairs. 

Ryou woke to Papyrus talking loudly and happily to someone. She looked to see Sans asleep next to her and gasped, jumping out of bed and practically tripping to get to Papyrus. She didn’t bother using the stairs and threw herself over the railing. She landed awkwardly and rushed into the kitchen where she found Papyrus talking to Flowey who looked almost…happy? But she knew he couldn’t feel love or happiness as a flower…right?  
Papyrus looked up at Ryou, “AH! GOOD MORNING RYOU!...IS SOMETHING WRONG?”  
She was shaking a bit looking at Flowey who also seemed a little confused. She looked away, “I thought Sans was with you.”  
“WASN’T HE UP WITH YOU?”  
Ryou nodded, “Yeah, I…sorry, it’s nothing.”  
Flowey gave her a smirk, “You really know how to hold a grudge, don’t you?”  
Ryou sighed, walking up to pat Flowey’s head, “Yes I do.”  
Flowey hissed a bit but allowed her to pat him, “Whatever, not like I really care.”  
She looked to Papyrus and smiled, “Papyrus, could you…maybe go wake up Sans?”  
Papyrus nodded and walked out of the room. Ryou turned to Flowey, “So, I have been meaning to ask you,” She leaned in a bit. “What is Chara’s next move?”  
Flowey searched her face the began to cackle, “Like I would tell you!”  
“So he does have a plan?”  
Flowey made a squeaking sound then sighed, “When does he not? Chara was my friend once…if you can call that friendship. I learned to be heartless when I became a flower, but…something Chara did, something about him changed, in turn changed me. When you both were separated during our battle, he became more obsessed with you than ever, I’m afraid he’s coming back for you, and this time I don’t think you’ll come out of it alive.”  
Ryou sat in silence, she knew Chara wasn’t through with her, breaking the barrier was the biggest point right now, and Chara was going to make sure Ryou payed for ruining his plans. She clenched her fists and sighed, “Stopping both of you became my goal in life, and…I’ve seen a change in you Flowey.”  
Flowey shrugged, “You’ve made the underground interesting again, it’ll be more entertaining to see what Chara does, but for now I am just biding my time here with you idiots.”  
Ryou smiled but it quickly faded, “I want to save you Flowey, give you a soul so that Asriel can have a second chance.”  
Flowey’s eyes widened a bit before he turned away, “You’re wasting your time…”  
“What do you mean? Saving you isn’t a waste of time.”  
Flowey turned back, “I can’t go back to being me! I can’t be a monster anymore! I have no soul and no body to go back to!”  
Ryou was surprised he seemed so defensive about it, “Have you…given up on living?”  
Flowey sighed, “I’ve killed myself many times, but…I always thought, what happens to someone without a soul when they die? I got so afraid that I would reset, bringing myself to the edge of death only to wake up at the beginning again. I could do anything, get away with anything, reset, and everything would go back to normal.”  
“Is that why you started killing people?”  
Flowey nodded, “I made friends with all of them, was very close to everyone but one day…I just thought to myself, ‘What would happen…if I killed them?’ and I did.” Flowey then frowned. “But they didn’t go down easily all the time. Your skeleton, Sans, he’s made me reset more times than anyone.”  
“I believe it.”  
Flowey sighed, “Then Frisk came…they were so sweet and nice it made me sick, but then I thought of…how much like Chara they were. I just had to know, I had to see for myself what this kid was capable of, and I wasn’t disappointed. Sometimes they reset and Chara would take over their body, but soon Chara would get bored and let Frisk be when that bag of bones would stop them. Then…you came along.”  
Ryou blinked, “What?”  
Flowey grinned, “You weren’t always a part of this world. Your mother was brought to the underground by fate or destiny so that she could have you so that you could save the Underground when Frisk lost her ability to reset.”  
Ryou felt her hands tremble, “So…everything that happened was supposed to happen this way?”  
Flowey shrugged, “I don’t have all the answers, but I think someone else does.”  
Before Ryou could ask anymore questions Papyrus walked into the kitchen holding Aiden, “THE CHILD REQUIRES SUSTANENCE!”  
Ryou smiled, “Give him here, I’ll feed him.” When she took him she went to walk to the living room only to bump into Sans.  
Sans blinked a few times, “Oh sorry babe, didn’t notice ya.”  
Ryou could see he was exhausted, “Were you up with Aiden all night?”  
Sans shrugged, “You were fast asleep, I just couldn’t bring myself to wake you.”  
“Sans, you’ll get sick or something if you don’t take care of yourself.” She kissed him softly before pulling away. “I have a baby to feed, now go feed yourself and head straight to bed.”  
Sans grinned, “You’re the best woman a lazy man could ask for.”  
Ryou rolled her eyes and gently pushed Sans towards the kitchen with her free hand. She took Aiden to the couch before feeding him. When he was finished and his cheeks flushed from a good meal he gave a wide yawn and closed his eyes; Ryou nuzzled him before walking back into the kitchen. Papyrus was feeding Flowey his breakfast, tossing the crunchy berry flavored cereal into Flowey’s mouth; he seemed pleased with it and demanded more from the tall skeleton.  
No matter what, Ryou would find a way to save Asriel and it would start by finding a way to give Asriel a body and soul. But who would be willing to give their soul to save Asriel? She needed to talk to the person that created him in the first place for an answer…  
Alphys.


	30. Let's Make The Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay sorry guys, I had hit writers block square in the face but I just gained back my spark so the chapters should come a little more frequently! The next few chapters are about to get super super dicey and a little intense, so be ready!

There was a long wait before Alphys got to the house, and when she did she immediately ran in to find Flowey. Upon finding him in his flowerpot on the kitchen table she took a deep breath and began looking him over, before long she frowned, “I see you’re missing a few petals.”  
Flowey hissed like a feral cat at her and tried to shrink away from her touch. She just sighed and shook her head, “You’ve been g-giving everyone a really hard t-time, haven’t you?” She said glaring down at him.   
“Alphys, I need to ask for your help.”   
Alphys turned to her in surprise, “Oh r-right, what is it?”  
Ryou turned to Flowey, “I want to find a way to free Asriel from Flowey and give him a sort of artificial soul.”   
Alphys blinked in confusion, “Create a soul?” She took a moment then vigorously shook her head. “That can’t work, we’ve tried making one in the past but it didn’t work.”  
Ryou nodded, “You were trying to create a human soul, right?”  
“Yeah.”  
Ryou looked back at her, “So what if you made an artificial monster soul?”  
“A-A monster soul? That…does sound a little easier to make.” She suddenly went into deep thought, mumbling to herself for a moment before her eyes widened. “I don’t really know if it’s possible, but since it’s a soul that lacks human determination, I’m sure it could very well be possible…right?”  
Ryou smiled, “I thought so.”  
Alphys nodded, “Okay, then I will get started on that, would you all mind if I took him back to my lab?”  
Flowey shuddered a moment, “Please don’t let her take me…”  
Papyrus spoke up, “I WILL JOIN YOU BOTH! BESIDES, I’M…CERTAIN METTATON WILL BE IN HOTLAND TOO!”  
Alphys smiled, “He’s at my lab right now actually.”  
Papyrus smiled wide and pulled Flowey into his arms, the flower seemed to relax a bit before they were heading out the door. Alphys hesitated as she looked at Ryou’s almost haunted features, “Don’t worry, Mettaton will keep Papyrus away, I’ll keep an eye on Flowey, n-no worries.”  
When they all left Ryou sighed and looked to Sans who was leaning against the counter, his arms were folded and he had a distant look in his eyes. She straightened herself and walked up in front of him, “What’s wrong?”  
Sans shrugged, “Eh, just tired.”  
Ryou nodded slowly, “I see, well why don’t you and I go to the room and take a nap?”  
Sans looked into her eyes for a moment then gave her a crooked grin, “Heh, you beggin to be boned already?”  
Ryou feigned a surprised gasp, “Sans! So lewd of you! We have a baby upstairs sleeping!”  
Sans shrugged, “He won’t hear us on the couch.”  
Ryou blushed a bit, “I-I suppose not b-but I was just suggesting-“  
Sans put a hand over her mouth and chuckled, “It’s okay, I won’t tell anyone.”  
Ryou took his hand away from her mouth and looked like she was about to go in for a kiss and when Sans’s eyes shut she ducked her head to bite his collar bone. He yelped a bit, gasping at the sensation of her teeth on his bone then her tongue sweeping it. He shuddered, “Even now you surprise me.”  
Ryou grinned and nuzzled him, “I’m just keeping you on your toes.”   
Sans suddenly wrapped his arms around her and held her to him, almost too tightly. They stayed that way until Sans spoke, “I’m worried about this…”  
Ryou frowned, he sounded too serious, “Worried about what? Flowey?”  
Sans pulled her back a bit to look her in the eyes, “Yes, after what happened the last time you encountered him I…I was struggling to be kind. I know saving Asriel meant a lot but…keeping you safe means so much more.” He touched her cheek gently and sighed. “I love you and I respect your decision but I just…” He sighed and smiled. “I’m just a monster with a big heart…metaphorically speaking since…you know, I don’t really have one.” He chuckled weakly then his hand slid to her arm and he closed his eyes. “I just want to be sure you don’t get hurt.” Ryou suddenly laughed and Sans stared at her in confusion, “I’m being serious here, Ryou.”   
When she finally calmed she smiled brightly at him, “Sans, I know how you feel, I feel it too. I am worried and anxious because Chara is out there waiting, but we are safe right now…and,” She wiped her eyes and put a hand on Sans’s chest. “You have a heart, it’s sleeping up in our bedroom right now.” She giggled.   
Sans took a moment to process, “Heh, I suppose the kid stole it, huh?” He laughed a bit before pulling her back into his arms. “No matter what happens Ryou, I won’t let anything happen to him.”

Papyrus and Mettaton chatted in the next room while Alphys went through massive amounts of data on Monster souls. The fusion of the soul to a host was not easy, but since Flowey was once a person with a soul, it couldn’t be too hard to re-create one that he could bind to. She poured over data while Flowey watched.   
“You’re wasting your time.” Flowey hissed.  
Alphys glared at him, “You shut your mouth, I have enough to think about without you hissing in my ear.” She said turning her attention back to her notes. Flowey glared at her and turned away. “But,” Flowey turned to look at Alphys again. “Ryou, even knowing what y-you did to her, forgave you and is trying to save you. I t-think you should be more grateful to her.”  
Flowey frowned and looked away again, “Grateful..?”  
Alphys glanced at him, Flowey looked like he was struggling to understand, “I don’t feel much of anything, how could I possibly feel grateful?”  
Alphys shook her head, “You do feel it, but because of Chara, all you feel are negative emotions.” She picked up a scrap of paper then smiled. She began to type on her computer and sighed. “I want you to be happy Flowey, to be able to feel happy.”  
Flowey froze, “Why would you want me to? Have you all lost your minds? I tried to kill everyone! How could I possibly be forgiven so easily? You all wouldn’t trust me, would rather hurt and kill me but you are choosing to save me…I DON’T UNDERSTAND!”  
Alphys pat him a little, “That’s alright, once you have a soul again, you will be able to understand a little more freely.”   
Flowey paused and sighed, “Do whatever you want, I don’t care.” Alphys smiled to herself and began to work again. Flowey frowned a bit, looking into the next room at Papyrus and Mettaton snuggling on the couch together. Flowey felt a sense of longing, wanting to feel, the joy of friendship, the happiness, the love of a family. He ruffled his petals before looking back at Alphys and sighing, “What can I do to help?”

Ryou was sleeping soundly in bed while Sans kept an eye on Aiden while he watched a little TV in the living room. He smiled down at the infant; he was so tiny, so fragile. He could feel the swell of love in his chest as the child’s eyes suddenly opened and looked up at him, “Good evening Aiden.” Aiden sniffled a bit before giving Sans a little smile, his eyes glowing. Sans chuckled, “You look awfully happy.”  
The baby wiggled a bit before smiling a little wider. Sans looked away, this child was too cute for his own good, “Heh…” He looked back to see the child wasn’t smiling at him, but smiling past him. Sans felt a chill run down his spine as he turned to look, only to see nothing there. He felt a cold sweat bead on his forehead before turning back to look at Aiden who was now yawning and staring back at him.  
“What uh…what were you looking at?” Sans asked, his voice shook a bit.   
There was a sudden knock on the door, the pounding sound on wood startling him. He took a deep breath before opening the door and looking out at Toriel, Frisk, and Asgore, “Oh, evening your majesties…”  
Toriel frowned, “We’re very sorry to bother you but…Frisk just wouldn’t stop asking to come over. They seemed a bit troubled and worried about you so I’ve brought them here to make sure.”  
Sans looked down at Frisk who held a face of concern, “Well uh…come on inside, can’t have you all chilled to the bone now, can we?” Sans moved aside to let the family in. Once everyone was inside Toriel smiled at Sans with a blush, “Would you mind if I…held him for a few minutes?”  
Sans looked at Aiden who was looking at Toriel, “Uh…sure, knock yourself out.” He handed the infant to her and immediately Toriel was on the couch nuzzling and talking to him. Sans looked to Asgore who shrugged with a smile. Sans nodded slowly, “I’m going up to see if Ryou wants to come down.” He ran up the stairs only to find Frisk standing in the doorway.   
Sans looked at her with question, “Hey kid, I was just coming up to check-“  
Frisk was still standing in the doorway, unmoving. Sans felt something crawling on his back and he walked over to look into the room to find it empty, “R-Ryou?” He walked inside. “Ryou?” Frisk was shaking hard, Sans could see her eyes were wide and she was shaking. “What’s wrong buddy?”  
Frisk looked up at him, her brown eyes wide with fear, “C…Ch…”  
Sans didn’t need to hear it, he knew. He felt like his magic was running too hot in his body and he began to feel sick, “Where…is Ryou?”  
Frisk signed, “Chara…”

Ryou groaned a little, she felt like her whole body had been put through a wringer. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, then took in everything around her. She was lying in the judgement hall again, “Wha..? How…did I get here?”  
She looked around to see someone leaning against a pillar. She recognized that form, “Sans?”  
“Oh, the skeleton was waiting for me, huh?”  
Ryou turned around to see Chara standing behind her. She gasped and scurried away, but neither Sans nor Chara seemed to notice her. Chara took a step forward, “Well? Aren’t you going to slay me?”  
Sans righted himself before turning to Chara, “Listen kid, how about you just reset and go back to being harmless, make my job and my life a little easier.”  
Chara snorted, twisting the knife in their hands, “You think I’m just going to give up? After all I did to get to this point?” Chara spat on the floor then grinned. “If Asriel had just gone through with the plan, I wouldn’t have had to come do this, it’s that crybaby’s fault I had to kill everyone you loved.” He laughed. “But honestly, I think I was just anxious to get to you, Sans. You truly are the Underground’s only hope at stopping me, because at this point, you and Asgore are all that’s left…and let’s be serious, Asgore wouldn’t stand a chance with you.”  
Sans’s features didn’t change but Ryou could feel the anger, “Heh, you really are a freak.” Sans rolled his shoulders and sighed. “Guess I have no choice then.” Sans’s eye began to glow. “Sorry lady, this is why I don’t make promises.”  
Ryou watched in horror as Sans impaled Chara, no resentment, no tears or regret, just his smile fixed in place. She covered her mouth as Chara’s body disappeared then a light shone in the room and Chara was back. Was she…watching the resets?  
“Back again?”  
Again, Chara fought, Sans impaled them. Chara disappeared and reappeared at the end of the hall. Sans grinned, “Hmm, you have the face of someone whose died twice in a row, though I have to say,” Sans’s smile widened. “You look really unsatisfied…how about we make it a third?”  
Ryou closed her eyes, the sound of bone piercing flesh and blood dripping was unmistakable. She shuddered then she heard Chara again. “He was the only real challenge in the underground.” She looked up to see Chara standing before her, grin placed on his face, “But then you came and that smiley bag of bones went soft. Pathetic, love makes people weak, you made him weak.”  
Ryou glared, “What the hell do you know about love? All you know is how to hurt people.”  
Chara shrugged, “Makes no difference to me, but you even went as far as to turn Asriel against me, now he’s holding onto a sliver of hope that he will have his soul back, but you know, he’s never going to because we are linked in death, if he wants to revive himself, he needs me to do it.”  
Ryou glared, “And what makes you think that?”  
Chara grinned, “Well, I could always give him your soul again.”  
Ryou hesitated, “Why does he need you?”  
Chara smiled almost sweetly, “Because his soul is merged with mine, in death he absorbed me but I persisted when that idiot got himself killed.” He grinned. “I have it, and I want you to bring Flowey to me so that I can give it to him.”  
Ryou blinked, “Just…like that? There has to be a catch.”  
“If you don’t, I will find my way into your house and kill that pathetic creature you call a child. And I will succeed, you’ve seen it.”  
Ryou’s eyes widened and her heart raced, he knew about… “V-Very well…”  
Chara grinned, “I knew you would see it my way.”  
With that Chara disappeared, leaving Ryou alone in the dark hall. She managed to stand on her feet, fear coursing through her painfully. She couldn’t trust Chara as far as she could throw him but…her fears for her family were getting the better of her. She walked out to the elevator and got inside, once it began to move she slumped to the floor and pulled her knees to her chest, “Everything is about to get out of hand…” She mumbled and let her eyes wander to the door. “He’s going to do something horrible; I feel it so strongly…” When the doors opened she managed to teleport herself to Alphys’s Lab before she collapsed onto the floor.   
“…I’M SURE YOUR NEXT PREFORMANCE…WILL…” Papyrus had walked into the room and found Ryou lying on the floor. “OH NO!”   
“Is she alright?” Mettaton approached slowly as Papyrus pulled Ryou into his arms.  
“RYOU? ARE YOU OKAY?”  
Ryou nodded, “I’m fine Paps, just…a little dizzy.”  
Papyrus pulled her to the couch upstairs, “WHERE’S SANS?”  
Ryou frowned, “He’s at home…”  
Papyrus and Mettaton looked at one another in confusion, “Well…sweetie, what are you doing in Hotland?”  
Ryou felt fear course through her and she looked away, “I…I don’t really remember.”  
Alphys came up holding Flowey in her arms, but stopped walking to see what was happening, “O-Oh! Ryou! S-Sorry, I didn’t know you w-were coming…”  
Ryou got to her feel slowly, “Flowey…”  
Flowey glared at her but then his tiny eyes widened, “You met Chara in the judgment hall…didn’t you…”  
“How did you know?” Ryou felt sweat beading on her forehead.  
Flowey looked away, “I knew he would come looking for me…” He looked up at Alphys and sighed. “You know what has to happen now, right?”  
Alphys nodded, “I was afraid it would come down to this…” She handed Flowey to Ryou and sighed. “We have to d-destroy Chara, he has Asriel’s soul.”  
Ryou nodded, “He mentioned that to me…”  
Alphys looked away, “I’m afraid all my research on artificial souls were destroyed…so we have no choice b-but to extract it from Chara.”  
Ryou felt fear run through her, “How are we going to manage that?”  
Flowey gave out an annoyed sigh and glared at her, “Look you idiot, we have to fuse into one being again, just like before. And when I’m defeated, you should be able to tear our souls apart.”  
Ryou blinked, “W-Wait…you mean me?”  
Flowey rolled his tiny black eyes, “Yes you, Frisk can’t handle this kind of thing…besides, mom wouldn’t let her fight like that ever again so you’re all we got.”  
“I’m sorry to say Ryou, but you’re the only human who has both the p-power and determination to take on something this b-big.” Alphys said fixing her glasses.   
“I’ll do it…but…nobody can tell Sans-“  
“Tell me what?”  
Ryou almost jumped out of her skin, her head whipped around and stared back to see Sans standing in the doorway, “S-Sans…”  
“Great the smiley trash bag is here…” Flowey grumbled.  
“What are you doing here, Ryou? I’ve been looking all over the Underground for you.” Sans said a little sternly, though he looked more relieved to see her than upset at her disappearance. “Frisk said something about Chara and I went bolting out to look for you.”  
“She did, did she?” Ryou sighed. “She wasn’t wrong, Chara kidnapped me again, but after telling me what he wanted he let me go.”  
Sans’s eye twitched, “He…he just let you go?” He seemed confused. “What did he say he wanted?”  
Ryou felt her heart sink, “He wanted Flowey.”  
Alphys cut in, “This i-is a perfect opportunity to refuse them. W-When they are fused, Ryou c-can use her power to force the souls apart…though I’m n-not expecting it to be an easy task, she is the only one who can.”  
Sans sighed and rubbed a hand to the back of his skull, “There’s no way around this is there…”  
Ryou blinked, “That’s it?”  
“What?” Sans raised a boney brow at her and chuckled.  
“Nothing, I was just expecting you know…some kind of, ‘Oh baby no, I can’t lose you again, it’s too dangerous, think of our son’, you know, act like you normally do?”  
Sans shook his head, “Na, I’m good. I know you’re doing this because you care about Asriel and what happens to him, and this way we can kill Chara and get the kid back. What good is it if all I do is whine about how worried I am? Not going to lie, I’m a little sick from the thought, but I can’t chain you up and make you change your mind.”  
“You had a talk with Toriel didn’t you.”  
“Eh, maybe a little.” He shrugged and smiled at her. “Alright, so what’s our plan?”  
Ryou blinked, “Our..?”  
Sans chuckled, “Look babe, I may have agreed to let you do this, I never said I wasn’t going out there with you.”  
Ryou went to protest when Papyrus stepped in, “ME AND METTATON WILL BE THERE FOR YOU TOO! RIGHT METTATON?”  
“Oh yes darling, we’ve got your back on this one hundred percent!”   
The doors to the lab opened and Undyne stepped in with Asgore and Toriel who held Aiden in her arms and Frisk peeking out at everyone with a big smile., “Don’t forget about us!” Undyne cheered.  
Ryou stared back at their smiling faces and Ryou felt an overwhelming feeling of happiness fill her, “You guys are the best.”  
Flowey stared at everyone in awe before looking up at Ryou who was now smiling down at him. He looked away but a glimmer of what looked like hope was displayed in his small black eyes. Ryou hoped that their plan to separate the souls would work; there was more than one life on the line at this point. But knowing the risk, Ryou would free the young prince from years of torture from inside the body of a small yellow flower.  
“Everyone came together…” Ryou murmured to herself.  
Sans chuckled nervously, “Well…not everybody.”  
There was a sudden knock on the lab door and everyone turned their attention to the door. Sans chuckled, “Speak of the devil,”  
The doors opened and Ryou almost dropped Flowey as they walked into the room, “Hello Ryou.”  
Ryou opened her mouth, “S-Sans…”


	31. His name was Nova

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think I cried a little writing this...since my fiance is living far from me right now it's been hard to write lovey-dovey stuff without getting emotional, then I went and made the angst(?) turn fluffy(?) and now I'm just...fml ; ~;  
> Anyway, sorry this wasn't longer, but next chapter we will have the starting of the final battle! We will see all of Chara's tricks and more! Might even see someone die...but who? WHO? I won't tell you who, you'll just have to read to find out >B3

Future Sans held up a hand to Ryou before she could say another word, “I’m sorry to show up out of the blue but when…this Sans called me about a possible change in Chara’s movement he asked me to swing by.” He looked at Flowey in Ryou’s hand. He walked up to him and leaned in close with a wide grin, “Funny seeing you so scared Flowey, like you’ve seen a ghost.”  
Flowey shuddered but kept a straight face, “How did death feel?”  
Future Sans chuckled, “Pretty good, I had time to think of hundreds of ways to kill you.” He straightened up and looked down at Ryou’s stomach, “So…where’s the kid?”  
Ryou seemed to still be in a bit of shock when Toriel giggled, “He’s right here.”  
Sans went next to Ryou while Future Sans took the baby in his arms and stared down at the tiny infant with awe. Sans grinned, “Cute, eh?”  
Future Sans smiled and touched Aiden’s forehead, “Yeah…”  
Aiden opened his eyes and peaked up at Sans, without missing a beat Aiden sniffled a bit and let out a whimper. Future Sans immediately flinched, “Oh please…don’t cry…”  
Aiden, hearing his father’s familiar voice calmed and smiled shyly at him, Future Sans chuckled, “There now, see? I’m not so scary.”  
Ryou sighed, “So…Sans…We’re going to have to give you some kind of code name because…with two Sans’s around, I’m sure I’m not the only one who will get confused.”  
Future Sans nodded, “Nova.”  
Ryou let out a giggle, “Nova? That’s such a-“  
“It’s a little something my Papyrus came up with for this exact reason.” He chuckled and nuzzled Aiden. “You’re going to be a real tough guy huh?” Aiden giggled a bit. “Yeah, you’re looking tough already!” Before anyone knew it Aiden was laughing and wiggling in Nova’s arms. “Heh, nah, you’re still too small and…pink to intimidate anybody, but trust me kid, you’ll get there.”  
Sans seemed tense next to Ryou, she knew he was a bit jealous to see his son having a good time with another version of himself. Ryou kissed the top of Sans’s head and he smiled up at her, reassuring her that he was okay. Ryou then turned her attention to the familiar scarring on Nova’s face, “So, when did those appear?”  
Nova placed a hand to his face and blushed, “Heh…well, after my last coming here, I went home. I began having horrible pain in my face. Before I knew it the cracks were there.”  
Ryou blinked, “But didn’t my father bear those same ones?”  
Nova stiffened a bit then handed Aiden back to Toriel with a smile. He sat in Alphys’s lab chair and sighed, “Yeah, they are the price for perfecting this move. Because I’m not related to your father directly, my blaster’s are more dangerous. But the amount of power it took to use my gift are dangerously high. The cracks showed up as a result of the power binding with my soul. My blaster’s bear the same markings, as well.” He sighed. “I’m almost as powerful as your dad, if not more.”  
“Then you can help us with this task.” Ryou said handing Flowey to Sans. “You’re here because Sans asked you, but why are you really here?”  
Sans sighed and rubbed the back of my head, “You’ve always been good at reading me…” He sighed. “I wanted to see you…”  
Ryou folded her arms, “I thought we already-“  
“Listen, it’s bad enough I can’t be with you anymore but…I would at least like to see my son once in a while.”  
Ryou looked to Sans, “And you’re okay with that?”  
Sans nodded, “Cut the guy a break babe, we may not be all alike, but we’re still the same person.”  
Ryou nodded and turned her attention back to Nova, “Alright, you can visit us and see Aiden whenever you wish, on one condition.”  
“Anything.”  
“You can NEVER bring Aiden out of this timeline. EVER, do you understand?”  
Nova blinked, “Yeah, I wouldn’t take him from you or Sans like that. You know me better than that Ryou.”  
She sighed, “Unfortunately I know more than you realize.”   
Nova held up his hands, “Okay, point taken.” He chuckled then sighed and looked at the group of familiar faces talking across the room. He chuckled, “Funny seeing them so high strung like this.”   
Ryou smiled, “I love them, they are my family.”  
Nova nodded, “Do you still see me and Papyrus as your family?”  
Ryou almost felt her veins freeze, “Of course I do…” She took a deep breath and sighed. “Nova there isn’t a day I don’t miss you guys, but this is where I belong. With the father of my child, with these people who took me in and helped me…this life I’ve made here, it’s everything I ever wanted.”  
Nova smiled a little sadly, “It’s a shame…how things ended up…if not for Flowey, you would still be-“  
Ryou held up her hand, “Don’t…” She murmured. “This is how things are, don’t dwell on what should’ve been, but focus on what future we have now.”  
Nova gazed at her then sighed, “Yeah…I guess.”  
Sans stood awkwardly beside them when Ryou turned to him and took his hand, “This is my life now, Nova. Our time as a whole has passed, I’ve moved on, and so should you.”  
Nova held a glint of something in his eyes, “Always the philosopher, right Ryou?”  
Ryou smiled, “I always have been.”  
Flowey made a gagging sound, “Can we please stop all the mushy nonsense and figure out when this plan is going to be carried out?”  
Sans nodded, “I agree, we should start planning.”

Ryou sat alone at the house for a while, Nova was staying on the couch until everything was figured out, not that Ryou minded. Sans didn’t seem to mind the idea, which threw Ryou off, why was he suddenly so okay with Nova being around them? Were they not at one another’s throats before?  
Sans walked in then and saw Ryou sitting silently on the couch, “Hey babe, what’s up?”  
Ryou looked up at him, “Oh…hi Sans…” She looked back at her feet and sighed. “I need to ask you something.”  
Sans plopped down beside her with a satisfied sigh, “Sure, what’s up?”  
“Why are you so okay with Nova being here? I mean, weren’t you both at one another’s throats over me before? Why are you so friendly with him now?”  
Sans seemed to process her question, then chuckled, “Well…” He fidgeted a bit before answering. “I called him as soon as I saw you were missing using my time machines cell system. I told him about what could be coming and I asked him to help us. When he arrived we got to chatting…” He placed a hand over his chest and took a deep breath. “I asked him for one favor Ryou, that if I die in the battle, that he would take care of you and our son.”  
Ryou’s eyes overflowed then, “You what..?”  
Sans chuckled, “Only if I die, if I manage to survive, he keeps his hands off you.”  
“AND HOW DO YOU KNOW HE WONT KILL YOU OUT THERE!”  
Sans flinched, “What?”  
“How do you know he wouldn’t murder you in cold blood to get me back? How do you know he won’t betray you!” Ryou sobbed in anger. “How can you trust someone who…” Ryou stopped short, Sans was crying.   
“Because I have no choice but to be prepared for the worst…” Cyan tears were pouring out of his eyes. “Because I love you so much it scares me…that if something would happen to me, what would you do? I almost lost you Ryou, and it was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever gone through…I can’t make you take care of Aiden alone…he needs his father too…” Something haunting was in Sans’s eyes. “I don’t want him to grow up wondering…who I was. That’s why I asked him…because, he’s me.”  
Ryou felt her whole body go numb, “Sans…” She whispered and threw herself against him. “I’m not going to lose you…I’ve got your back, I’ll protect you not matter what!” She sobbed against his jacket. “I love you so much, please, don’t leave me…”  
Sans held her close, his eyes were almost overflowing now, “I’m not dying just yet Ryou, I’m just being prepared.”  
Ryou held onto him for dear life, “I can’t live without you…”  
Sans held her tighter, “Don’t talk like that…” He buried his face in her hair. “You have Aiden to think about too…don’t be selfish.”  
Ryou sobbed harder, her words were just jumbled cries at this point. Sans could see in the reflection of the TV was the window. He could make out Nova standing at the window and looking in, his features twisted in pain, but when Sans turned to look at the window, he was gone. He rocked Ryou slowly until she calmed, murmuring positive things in her ear until she collapsed against him.   
When she was calmed Sans pulled her into his lap and held her head against his ribs, “I love you Ryou.” He murmured against her hair. “We’ll kill Chara once and for all, and we’ll be able to live freely.”   
Ryou nodded slowly, “I will…break the barrier…and we’ll make it to the surface, I’m keeping my promise…I am making sure everyone goes free.”  
Sans nuzzled her, “I am the luckiest Skeleton alive.”  
Ryou smiled and giggled a bit, “You and Papyrus are the only Skeletons alive.”  
Sans shrugged, “Then I’m the luckiest.”  
Ryou laughed and looked up into Sans’s eyes, “I’m lucky too Sans…to have met someone who loves me like you do.”  
He blushed and kissed her, being gentle and slow before Ryou turned in his lap, straddling him and wrapping her arms around his neck. Before long they were kissing roughly, Sans’s hands had slipped under her shirt to caress her skin, her breasts, and her back, touching every inch of her until she moaned softly against his mouth. Sans rolled her until she was on her back on the couch, without breaking their kiss he pulled up her skirt and gently traced her through her black panties, Ryou ran her fingers under his shirt and traced his ribs, eliciting a pleased hum from deep in his chest. He pulled away a moment to let them breathe. He stared down into her eyes to see her smiling shyly at him, he grinned, “One moment,” He snapped his fingers; the blinds closed around the windows, the door locked, and there was a blanket on the floor next to them.   
Ryou laughed softly, “You know how to be prepared.”  
He shrugged, “Hey, never know who’s watching…or who could walk in.”  
Ryou rolled her eyes and brought him back into a kiss, resuming where he had left off. Before long Sans had undressed them both, using his hands to caress between her legs until she was shaking under him. He stopped to nuzzle a breast, “Every time I see you like this…it reminds me of how lucky I am to see you this way.”  
Ryou blushed, “My body isn’t that great.”  
Sans shook his head, “But you are, soft and warm…the body of the woman I love…” He snaked his tongue out of his teeth to gently lick her nipple. She let out a breathy gasp at the sudden contact, but let him continue. “So delicious it makes my mouth water whenever I look at you…” He gently bit her breast, then released her to pull her legs open enough for him to lie between them. “You carried my child, you gave me the greatest gift anyone could have…” He leaned down to plant a toothy kiss to her stomach before his magic began to run through him, Ryou could feel him filling her as he kissed his way back up to her lips. When their hips met, Sans took her hand in his, “You’re the best thing to ever happen to me Ryou…” He murmured to her before he kissed her again.  
Ryou’s cheeks were alight, flushed from the delight from his words, and the heat being shared between them. She watched his every move, every change of expression, every movement he made seemed graceful and loving, he truly was something beautiful to watch. She felt herself being pushed to the edge, her breathing sped up and her eyes shut. Sans leaned down to gently bite her shoulder, soon after he pulled back to smile at her, “I love you Ryou…”

Ryou was lying against Sans, she always felt lazy after sex but she found herself unable to move from his side. Every moment next to him was bliss as his fingers gently ran up and down her back. She never knew he could be so romantic, his puns came less as he became truly happy. She knew he used his puns as a means to convince himself he was happy…or create the illusion of happiness, but at this moment, he seemed more than happy. He seemed to have given into the desire to care, to live normally again. Though more times than not, his puns really made him happy…and they made her happy.   
“Sans…” Ryou murmured, turning her head up to meet his gaze. “You always say the most wonderful things about me, but I want to be able to tell you about all the loving things about you.”  
Sans smiled crookedly, “Yeah? Sure, if you want to share them.” He murmured, his fingers still trailed up her spine then back down. The feeling gave Ryou goosebumps.  
“Sans, you’re so beautiful to me…you are powerful but you are so gentle with me. You’ve done nothing but show me your love, show me how much you care about me…I don’t get to say it enough but…” She reached up to touch his cheek. “You mean the world to me, and our son is proof of it. You talk so highly of me, you make me feel like I’m flying when you’re around me, Sans I love you so much. I want to marry you…I want to marry you before this fight.”  
Sans had paused his movement and just stared at her. He seemed to have been caught off guard, “What..?”   
“If we’re all dying during this fight Sans, I want to die your wife.”  
His eyes teared up and he pulled her closer, “Ryou, I want nothing more than to call you my wife…but…” He pulled back a bit and caressed her cheek. “I want to be able to marry you out there…on the surface where I can see the sun shining on your skin, where I can show the whole world that you’re mine and mine alone.”  
Ryou hesitated but then smiled happily, “Then promise me…that we’ll all survive.”  
Sans chuckled, “We will make it out alive, I promise you.”  
There was a moment of silence then the door handle jiggled, “OH DARN IT…SANS! OPEN THE DOOR!”   
Sans chuckled and teleported Ryou to their bedroom, “I’ll be back.”  
“SAAAAANS!” Papyrus yelled from the door.  
Sans threw on a shirt and his shorts then calmly walked downstairs to open the door for his brother. Ryou sat quietly on the bed, wondering how much longer she would have this happiness…how much longer Sans would be there…

Nova relaxed on the couch, he felt weird lying in the house like this, knowing Ryou was up in his room…with Sans. He frowned and grumbled a bit, “I wish it would’ve been different for us Ryou…”  
“WHY WOULD YOU WISH THAT?”  
Nova sat up to see Papyrus coming out of the kitchen, “O-Oh, Papyrus! Uh…sorry, I’m just-“  
“NO NEED TO SAY ANYTHING, YOU ARE MY BROTHER AFTER ALL.” Papyrus walked around to sit on the end of the couch. “YOU STILL LOVE HER, DON’T YOU.”  
Nova nodded and sighed, “I always will, I mean I’ve been with her since the beginning, but after what Flowey did to you in my timeline…I fucked up, Pap…I fucked up…” Nova held his face in his hands. “And there isn’t anything I can do to change what I did to her.”  
Papyrus thought a moment, “I’M SORRY TO SAY THAT SHE LOVES MY SANS…BUT I CAN SEE WHY YOU WOULD BE SO UPSET. WHEN WE GET TO THE SURFACE…MAYBE YOU’LL FIND SOMEONE NEW?”  
Nova paused a bit then smiled, “You’re always so smart Papyrus…but put yourself in my shoes for a moment; you love Mettaton right?”  
Papyrus blushed, “Y-YES! VERY MUCH SO!”  
Nova nodded, “Imagine Mettaton met another you, the one from my timeline and fell in love with him and left you behind. How would you feel?”  
Papyrus seemed to struggle with that thought, “WELL…I WOULD BE HAPPY FOR THEM. I WOULD BE VERY SAD, BUT KNOWING THE ONE I CARE ABOUT IS HAPPY MAKES ME HAPPY, AND…THAT’S WHAT MATTERS, RIGHT?”  
Nova stared at Papyrus for a long moment before he chuckled, “You always have an answer, don’t you bro…”  
Papyrus smiled happily, “OF COURSE! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS AFTER ALL!”  
Nova shrugged and sighed, “So, tell me, what do you think of the kid?”  
“AIDEN? OH HE’S VERY LOUD ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT BUT HE’S SO VERY NICE TO BE AROUND! HE’D MAKE A GREAT WARRIOR ONE DAY!”  
Nova chuckled and sighed, “Yeah…when I saw him it was like waking up for the first time. I knew the kind of world we all come from, the people in it, but nobody has ever looked so like me...in the most terrifying of ways. Not that he’s scary, the kid is too cute to be anything close to what I’m really like, but he’s going to grow up human and monster…meaning he’ll have the same freewill to kill like all humans do.”  
Papyrus looked up at the bedroom, “HE’S MORE MONSTER THAN HUMAN THOUGH…”  
Nova nodded, “I’m sure he’ll turn out fine.”  
Papyrus smiled, “SO! WHAT AM I LIKE IN YOUR TIMELINE?”  
Nova chuckled, “Oh, he’s just like you…but he’s become a little more serious since our run in with Flowey, I guess everyone in our timeline remembered dying.”  
Papyrus gulped, “I…OFTEN WONDER WHAT ITS LIKE TO DIE…WHERE WE GO AND-“  
“Papyrus,” Nova took ahold of Papyrus’s arms and looked him in the eyes. “You’re alive and well, that’s all that matters. Don’t…think about death, it’s so unlike you.” Nova chuckled nervously. “Okay?”  
Papyrus nodded slowly, “ALRIGHT, I WON’T THEN!”   
Nova let Papyrus go and leaned against the couch, “I’m getting hungry…”  
Papyrus jumped to his feet, “DO NOT WORRY BROTHER! FOR I WILL MAKE DINNER FOR EVERYONE!” Papyrus bounded into the kitchen at full speed, leaving Nova sitting alone.  
“It’s better…” Nova smiled weakly and put a hand to his face. “Better you don’t remember all the times I watched you die…”


	32. Struggle, Save, Survive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guys...guys...GUYS...HOLY SHIT  
> plot twist to come?  
> This was the hardest thing to write because...let's be honest, I SUCK at writing violence XD But I think it came out good...  
> and for the end...sorry...  
> (not sorry >:D)

Sans felt his body being pushed. He frowned, “Stop…sleeping…” He grumbled. But he had woken up enough to hear what he thought might’ve been the most terrifying sound ever. Ryou was screaming. He shot up to find Nova had been the one shaking him awake. “Ryou?!” He shot out of bed to comfort her when he realized she was not only screaming but sobbing. He saw her holding Aiden’s empty blanket.  
“…Where’s Aiden..?”  
“HE TOOK HIM!” Ryou shrieked and sobbed. “He took my baby…oh my god Sans he took my baby!” She threw herself into his arms and began to sob hysterically into his chest.  
Sans desperately looked to Nova, “What happened…?”  
Nova had his head in his hands, “Chara slipped into the house last night…he could’ve killed all of us but he just took the kid.”  
“You’re sure it was Chara?” Sans asked eyeing Nova suspiciously.  
Nova nodded to Ryou who handed Sans a bloody note and began to sob again. Sans read it over more than once, before the note crumpled in his hands, “Chara…” He hissed angrily. He took Ryou by the shoulders, “Ryou, look at me baby.” Ryou managed to look up at him through her tears. “We’re going to get him back…he’s going to be okay.”  
Ryou sniffled and let out another sob, “B-But what if he’s cold..? W-What if he gets hungry and cries..? What if Chara can’t handle it an k-“  
Sans placed a hand over Ryou’s mouth and gave her a stern look, “Ryou, we have to keep calm and think.”  
Nova sighed and moved Sans out of the way, taking her shoulders and forcing her to look at him, “Ryou, breathe deeply and remember your motive. Remember why you are here and why we need to stick to the plan.”  
Ryou blinked, she recalled those same words before their mission to come back. She blinked a few times before she began to tremble and she threw herself into Nova’s arms and began to sob once more. Nova looked to Sans to assure him everything was okay. Sans rolled his eyes and folded his arms, but deep down he knew she needed this, this was someone who had known her for almost her whole life, this was a natural thing and he needed to accept that.  
Sans stood up, “Watch Ryou while I go call Alphys.” He took a glance one last time at Ryou’s shaking form before walking out of the room and closing the door behind himself. Sans felt his eye surging with magic as he clutched his phone in his fist. His body felt like it was about to fall apart, his son was just kidnapped by the one person who could take everything away from him. If they didn’t tread carefully, everything could unwind and…Sans fought the anger, fear, and hysteria rising in his chest. He teleported himself into the kitchen and dialed Alphys. Someone answered, Sans didn’t wait, “Alphys! Chara kidnapped-“  
“Hello Sans.”  
Sans felt the world around him starting to crumble away, “No…”  
“I could only guess you’re wondering where Alphys is, right? Well, I’m sorry to say, she and your friends are all very busy at the moment.” Chara’s voice sounded too sweet.  
“Where is Aiden?” Sans hissed.  
Chara let out a sigh, “That little thing? He’s alive, for now, after snatching up your friends he wouldn’t stop crying. Oh I wanted to silence that child, but Mom begged me, pleaded that she could calm him…lucky for you, she did.”  
Sans was shaking, “If you hurt him I swear I’ll-“  
“You know the deal Sans, give me my brother, and I’ll give you your stupid kid back.” Chara let out a laugh. “Or I could just kill him, honestly, I’m so curious of what you and that girl would do if I killed him now.”  
“No!” Sans cried out then forced himself to calm down. “We’ll bring Flowey to the Judgement hall in one hour…you give Ryou Aiden, and I will give you Flowey.”  
Chara stayed quiet a moment, “Ah Sans, I do feel a little pitty for you. After all, nobody can really save your little family once the barrier’s broken.” The phone clicked.  
Sans looked at his phone, the call had ended and Sans, for the first time in months, began to shake violently and cry at the kitchen table. He held his hand clamped over his mouth as hard as he could to keep the sobs leaving him as quiet as possible. He calmed himself enough to breathe, he inhaled and exhaled, getting up from the table and walking up to Papyrus’s room where Flowey was asleep on Papyrus’s figure table. Sans’s body tensed when he noticed Papyrus wasn’t in bed. He looked to Flowey and cleared his voice, rousing Flowey from his sleep.  
“The hell you want?” Flowey hissed but his eyes widened a bit at the look on Sans’s face.  
Sans’s eye was glowing furiously as he slowly approached Flowey, “You and that kid have been the bane of my existence…hell has no place for people like you, yet…” Sans’s eye powered down and he fell to his knees, “Our plan is no good…Chara knew…”  
Flowey swayed a bit, “I told you…this is all useless.”  
Sans clenched his fists, “He has my son…”  
Flowey’s eyes shot to Sans and he puffed up a little, “He…He’s gone? Chara took him?”  
Sans glared up at Flowey but his small features twisted to one of hurt, “He…didn’t bother just taking me? I was in THE NEXT ROOM!”  
Sans took Flowey by the stem, “Do you realize what will happen if Aiden dies? DO YOU KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN?!” He yelled angrily.  
Flowey stared blankly for a moment, “You’re afraid of another reset…”  
Sans let go of Flowey and dropped his arms to his sides, “I’m always…so afraid…” Sans put his hands to his head and chuckled dryly, “Do you even know what it feels like to lose everything you love, then wake up only to watch it happen all over again?”  
Flowey frowned, “Well of course I remember that feeling-“  
“Losing your little brother…fighting until it starts again, waking up wondering if…if this will be the day I actually lose it all…no more resets…and I’m left with nothing.”  
“Wow…seeing the mighty Sans of Snowdin so emotional over one kid-“  
“AIDEN!” Sans yelled then composed himself. “His name is Aiden, he is my son, Ryou’s son…proof that this world still holds something for me. He means the world to us, just like you meant the world to Toriel and Asgore…”  
Flowey’s face twisted in confusion then he looked away, “I guess we have to go and get him.”  
Sans frowned, “You did hear what I said about the plan-“  
“Yes I did,” Flowey rolled his tiny eyes and sighed. “But that doesn’t matter, besides,” He averted his eyes. “I don’t want to see…Ryou sad…”  
Sans felt like hope was bursting in his chest, Flowey looked sincere, and that made Sans’s feel a little more at ease and hopeful that everything really was going to be okay. Sans walked up to Flowey and pat him gently. Flowey hissed a bit but didn’t say anything more.  
Ryou suddenly threw open the bedroom door and stormed into the room. Sans hadn’t seen her so determined before, her eyes twinkled with defiance and her body seemed to stand taller with the look of an angry mother. She walked straight up to Sans and hugged him tightly, “Let’s finish this.” She growled in his ear. “Let’s take him down…”  
Sans looked in the doorway to see Nova smiling from the doorway. Sans knew there was a mutual understanding between them. He gave Ryou a small squeeze then let her go, “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”  
Ryou nodded and looked to Flowey, “Are you ready to be free?”  
Flowey ruffled his petals and nodded, “I’m ready.”  
Ryou looked to Nova who gave her a nod and she took Flowey in her arms, “Would you like to do the honor, Sans?”  
Nova walked over and placed a hand on Ryou’s shoulder, Sans took her free hand and concentrated. With a click the room faded and they were standing before the doors to the judgment hall. Ryou clutched Flowey tightly to her chest and prayed everything would go smoothly. Sans and Nova both gave her a reassuring nod before she pushed open the doors.  
The room was still messily destroyed from their last encounter, Ryou absently pulled her hand from Sans’s to place it over her scar and gulped as they walked further inside. “CHARA!” Ryou shouted at the top of her lungs.  
Chara walked out of the throne room slowly, seemingly morphing into the judgement hall with a tiny bundle in his arms. Ryou could hear the quiet whimpers of her baby from where she stood and her mind went into protective mode, she looked to Sans who stared across at Chara with a very hardened look. She looked at Flowey who seemed a little shaken but stayed composed. She looked back to Chara and took a step forward.  
Chara grinned, “Now, I want you to place Flowey on the ground between these two pillars,” He nodded to the pillars in the middle of the hall. “And walk back to where you’re standing. If you try anything,” Chara gently slid his knife over Aiden’s skin but with the bladed side up and the dull side gliding over the baby. “There will be nothing left for you to bury.”  
Ryou kept calm, even if every nerve in her body was sparking to life. She nodded and walked to the middle of the hall, her heart racing violently in her chest with every agonizing step. She didn’t take her eyes off Aiden for a second until she made it to the spot. She looked down at Flowey who gave her a little nod. She set him down on the ground gently and stood up to look back at Aiden. She began to back away. Once she was at Nova and Sans’s side, Chara walked up to Flowey and grinned, “You really are an idiot Flowey, thinking you could survive without me.”  
“You tried to kill me, did you expect me to sit down and let you?”  
Chara shrugged, “I wouldn’t kill you, you would’ve been fine.”  
Flowey glared but sighed, “Now give the kid back to Ryou…this is too much Chara.”  
Chara let out a laugh, “Too much? Really? What’s gotten into you Flowey? Turning soft on me now? Has the love of these people really sparked something inside you? You don’t have a soul, you can’t feel anything but emptiness.”  
Flowey puffed up, “I can feel anger, hate…I can feel negative things! I can feel emotions that aren’t tied to the soul.” Flowey looked back at Ryou. “I can sometimes feel pity…” He glared at Chara. “So give the kid to them.”  
Chara’s face twisted in confusion, but he shrugged and took three steps towards Ryou then grinned down at the frightened child in his arms, “Oops.” He said then hauled back and tossed Aiden into the air. Sans reacted before anyone could think, rushing forward and launching himself up to catch his son before teleporting himself back to his original position. Sans began to frantically look over his son for injuries, other than being a little hungry and in need of a change, the child was alright. Sans looked to Ryou who stared down at her child.  
“He’s okay.” Sans said holding him to his chest. “He’s not hurt.”  
Ryou nodded, relief filling her, “Now, where are our friends?” Ryou asked turning her head to look back at Chara who was now holding Flowey in his arms.  
Chara thought a moment, “Funny you should ask.” The room filled with light, every inch of the hall too bright to look at. A moment later the light dimmed and all of their friends lay unconscious on the floor behind Chara. He grinned, “They are safe…but not for much longer.”  
Flowey shuddered as Chara grinned evilly at him, “S-Stop that! Stop making that creepy face!”  
Chara then released his soul and the room began to vibrate as their bodies began to fuse. Ryou saw everyone’s soul being pulled away from them and panicked, if they didn’t run, every soul in the room would be consumed. Just then the room went black. Ryou looked back to see Nova and Sans staring in surprise behind her, she could see the look of pure pain and happiness swirling in their eyes. Ryou turned then, looking back to see someone before her.  
Gaster was holding what looked like a bone wall up to block the potential devastating blow of the fusion taking place on the other side of the hall. Ryou felt her body vibrating with energy then, this wasn’t a dream…When the blast subsided Gaster tore the bones away to reveal a truly horrifying sight.  
A giant demon looking creature was causing the room to shift into darkness, the demon…was Asriel Dreemurr. Ryou looked back at Gaster who looked down at her and smiled, “You have quite the job to do,” He put a hand on her head and smiled proudly. “You really are just like your mother.”  
Ryou felt her eyes watering but she remained strong, “Thank you dad…”  
Gaster looked to Sans, “Give me the child, I will keep him safe in the rift.”  
Sans was shaking as he placed the child in Gaster’s arms. Gaster smiled at Sans and pat his head then walked to Nova and did the same, “I’m very proud of you both, you did what you set out to do, even losing me you tried your best.” He looked to Ryou. “My daughter is a strong woman thanks to you.” With that Gaster vaporized into black mist, taking the child with him.  
Ryou, now with her child out of the battle, turned her attention Asriel who growled and huffed menacingly at her. She breathed in and out and powered up, magic rushing through her body until her eyes flared and her own Gaster Blaster phased in beside her. It snarled a bit at Asriel as it took it’s spot beside Ryou, then gave Ryou a look of understanding. Ryou looked at Nova and Sans who stood with their own blasters, the deadliest looks in their eyes.  
Asriel laughed and rolled his shoulders before sighing, “Look at you all, so pathetic.” He shook his head slowly and grinned. “You think you can stop me? Your friend’s souls are mine, and once we open the barrier you will see what I can really do!”  
Opening his maw, he let out a loud sound and from the darkened ceiling, stars of all colors began to rain down, crashing into the ground around them, Sans and Nova took action and blasted a few away, Ryou attacked Asriel head on, but missed him, he was moving too quickly to target. He stretched his arms out and two large blades appeared in both his hands, a glint of something shone in his eyes, something almost…regretful?  
Like lightning he shot at Ryou, swinging his blades at her with brute force. She jumped back, he was too fast to keep up with so she teleported herself out of the way, draining a small amount of her magic. Sans and Nova took him on, using bone attacks and blasters to keep him at bay so Ryou could strike from behind. She raced at him, only for him to suddenly move and her blaster nearly blew Nova away, he luckily jumped out of the way. “I’m sorry!” Ryou cried, dodging Asriel’s blade again.  
Nova dusted himself off, “Heh, I’m alright.”  
Sans slammed his hand to the ground and bones came up out of the ground, sharp, piercing Asriel square in the abdomen. The bones retracted back into the floor, leaving Asriel bleeding, but he seemed unphased by the wound. He held his arms up and before long lightning began to rain down, slowly, but began to pick up pace. Sans and Nova managed to avoid them easily, but Ryou was caught by one and shocked with a painful zap that struck her whole body. She cried out and fell to her knees, Asriel didn’t let up his attacks, his arm changed into what looked like a giant cannon, then began shooting. Sans jumped in and grabbed Ryou out of the way, Nova put up a bone wall to block the blasts.  
“When everything is done, I’ll reset this timeline! I’ll reset everyone’s memories! Everyone will go back to zero! Start all of this again!” Asriel laughed, but Ryou could hear an almost pleading voice. She realized it was Asriel, the real one. A beam of light hit Nova’s bone shield and began to waste it away.  
“His attacks are really strong!” Nova grunted, wincing as one of the bones from his wall shattered and cut his cheekbone.  
Sans looked over Ryou, “Are you alright?”  
Ryou nodded, “Just a little shaken, that is some powerful magic…”  
Asriel smirked at them as Nova pulled down the wall to ready for Asriel’s next attack, “So weak, your human side really is weak. Guess you’re mother was just the pathetic kind of human, lucky you’re half monster.”  
Ryou got to her feet and growled, “Don’t talk about things you don’t understand.” She teleported herself, Sans did the same, using a barrage of bones to distract Asriel while Ryou ran at him with full force. He caught her off guard with a swing of his hand he caught her by the neck and threw her. While in the air Nova had taken her hand and swung her back at Asriel, knocking her into him. Asriel stumbled back a little with a grunt. Ryou flipped back and teleported herself out of the way of his blades. Sans rushed him with his magic, aiming to turn his soul blue but was suddenly moved up to the ceiling with a thud, Ryou had turned his soul pink, realizing how close he was to being cut clean in half.  
“He’s too fast…” Sans huffed as he was released. He fell then teleported to safety. Ryou nodded to him and looked to Nova, the cut on his cheek had something black oozing out of it. Nova winced a bit as he smiled at her in reassurance. She looked to Asriel who began to charge up another barrage of multicolored stars. Ryou took that opportunity to strike. She used her blaster with quick precision, managing to catch Asriel in the chest. He stumbled back and hissed.  
“Why won’t you all just die! It would be easier to just give up! Yet you refuse, so I’ll just have to destroy everything and make you!” He held his arms out and the ground around them began to shake. Ryou gasped as a vortex of air began to swirl around Asriel…and began to suck in everything around them. Nova was caught in it and was sucked into Asriel.  
“NOVA!” Ryou cried out after him.  
Sans lost his footing beside her and began to slip away but Ryou grabbed his hand with one of hers as she held onto a crack in the floor to support her. Sans looked up at her in despair, his eyes wide with fear. Seeing the situation they were in he knew what he had to do. His eyes but then he smiled, “You got this Ryou…stay determined.” He said opening his eyes. He ripped his hand away from hers and disappeared into the light. Ryou felt the pain seeping inside her. She screamed out into the abyss, her eyes overflowing as the light faded and she was engulfed in darkness. But within the darkness came a bright light, Asriel had transformed. Giant wings protruded from his back, his eyes black and mouth set in a gnarled grin. She got to her feet, her heart ached, Sans and Nova were gone…  
Ryou went to run t Asriel but found her body frozen. She couldn’t move, “Asriel!”  
“You’re still holding on..? Well, soon you will forget everything, soon you will go back to the beginning, before all of this happened! You will forget everything!” He opened his arms and a barrage of lights poured from him and shot at Ryou. The pain was indescribable.  
Ryou struggled but her body refused to move. She glared at Asriel. He grinned, “Still? Come on, show me what good your determination is now!” He began another barrage of light, her skin felt as though it were being pelted by stones and fire. She cried out in pain, her body ached and her eyes watered, yet she remained strong. “I’m not giving up! I have people who depend on me! AND YOU’RE ONE OF THEM-!” She was hit by another light and her soul quivered before cracking apart. She gasped, it felt as though she would turn to dust at any second but she forced herself to continue and her soul mended.  
Asriel hissed. Ryou struggled once more, nothing happened. She struggled harder, but nothing happened. She struggled…she had been struggling since day one, she had been trying to save everyone, but had failed once before. She tried once more but she just couldn’t, she was running out of power…but…maybe with what was left of her magic, she could save something else. She could feel everyone’s souls resonating within Asriel. She reached out, “Toriel! Asgore!”  
She could see their souls take form and she smiled, but their faces had been distorted by a white mist. She knew now what she needed to do. “Toriel! I love your pies, I miss those days we used to sit by the fire and talk! You’re a wonderful mother, you taught me so much…especially what it meant to be alive!”  
Toriel shook, Asgore did the same. Toriel held up her hand and Ryou was beaten down by fireballs, “This is for your own good…”  
Asgore shook, “I just wanted what was best for my people…”  
Ryou shook her head, “Asgore, you’re an amazing father to Frisk! You’ve done so much to help everyone! Your people love you and know you’re trying!”  
Asgore held up his hand and Ryou was again struck repeatedly by fireballs. She felt a few burn her skin. Her clothes were slightly ripped and her body was weak, but she had to keep trying!  
“I love both of you like my family! You have been there for me when no one else was! You’re the parents who loved me when I had none!”  
Just then the white mist disappeared and Toriel blinked, Asgore did the same as though they were waking up, “Oh Ryou, we love you too.” Toriel said with a motherly smile.  
“You are our last hope, we believe in you Ryou.” Asgore smiled at her and took Toriel’s hand before they disappeared. Ryou nodded to herself and went on to the next friend.  
“Alphys!” She called out. Alphys appeared then with the same mist. “Alphys, you taught me a lot about anime, you helped cheer me up when I was sick and always rooted for me!”  
Alphys sniffled, “You all hate me…don’t you…”  
Ryou was struck with what looked like electricity, pain shot up her body, she hissed but continued, “You are my friend! You are there for me when I need you! You are a part of my family!”  
Just then the mist cleared and Alphys gasped, “What am I saying, my friends l-love me! A-And I love them!” Alphys smiled happily and disappeared.  
Ryou sighed, ignoring the pain she was in. Asriel seemed a little stunned by this display, he watched in curiosity. Ryou ignored him and called out again. Undyne, Papyrus, and Mettaton were saved…  
Ryou felt her chest tighten as she called out for Sans and Nova. Just then they appeared with the same mist. Ryou felt tears in her eyes, “Sans, I love you. You’re the person I love, the father of my son and the man who gave me a second chance…I promised you I would marry you Sans…and I promised you I would stay determined!” She smiled lovingly at him. “I chose you, I’m in love with you…so I’m saving you! You are Aiden’s father and I refuse to let that be taken from me!”  
“I can’t lose them…I can’t through it all again.” Sans then tossed a few bones at her, though not hard enough to hurt her, seemed he was lazy even now, which she appreciated for once. Then the mist disappeared from him and he smiled lovingly at her.  
“I told you, you’ve got this Ryou, I believe in you…save the kid, and come back to me.” Sans kissed her softly before disappearing.  
Ryou turned her head to Nova, “Nova…” She felt a lump in her throat. “I love you, I always have. You took care of me since I was a kid, you taught me to cook, you taught me to love, to be happy, and to live my life the way I want to…you gave me so much. I forgive you Nova, I forgive you for everything that happened, I don’t hate you, I never did.” She held back a sob. “It wasn’t easy for me…but I had to let you go. We would’ve destroyed each other…”  
Nova stood still and silent until he opened his mouth, “…I’m still in love with her…” He raised his hand and his gaster blaster phased in, “Why did I have to be so stupid…”  
Ryou could see the tears on his face, “You were grieving Nova, you lost your brother and you couldn’t understand why. But you are alive, your brother is alive, I am fighting to end our nightmare…so keep cheering me on.”  
Nova’s gaster blaster faded and the mist faded. Nova stared at her for a long moment before chuckling, “Heh…you’ve really grown up Ryou, you’ve changed a lot.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. “Hey, plenty of fish in the sea, am I right?” He gave her a wide proud smile. Just then he faded away to where her friends waited.  
Ryou felt her chest become a little lighter knowing everyone was safe, but…now there was someone else. She stared at Asriel and smiled happily, “Asriel, can you hear me?”  
Asriel growled, “W-What are you doing?”  
“When Chara fell down here, you found someone you could be yourself around. You didn’t know they were angry at the world, how could you have known? Chara, the world isn’t this evil place that wants to attack you. You are human yet you had the choice to stop and be happy with the family that took you in. Asriel did nothing but try and make you happy. You killed him Chara, you destroyed the only hope all of these monsters had. I believed you could change, and you proved me wrong. I’m going to finish this, I am going to end you now and forever, so Sans, Nova, Frisk…and Asriel never have to watch their lives be torn apart EVER AGAIN!”  
Asriel suddenly cried out, “WHAT DO YOU KNOW? What do you know about what I’ve been through? Humanity treating you like their trashbin! People beat me, did so many unspeakable things to me! They did it because I was chosen! Chosen to be humanity’s vessal…I am the root of humanity’s evil…and I want revenge. I used Asriel, I killed your friends and I’ve done it more times than I can count! I’ve hurt so many people and I loved every second of it!”  
Ryou was hit with a fast barrage of light beams. She cried out as her soul yet again split down the middle…but it refused. She panted a little, “Asriel…you have to break away from Chara! Only then…only then you will be free!”  
Asriel began to hiss and shake, “Chara…you hurt everyone! You did horrible things! YOU KILLED PEOPLE I LOVED!”  
Asriel’s body began to shake violently, “I…I…” He held his hands to his head and screamed. “No! Stop you idiot! You would be dead without me! You wouldn’t ever have survived! I THOUGHT YOU LOVED ME!”  
“I did…”  
Just then the room exploded with color and Ryou was flung to the ground, almost knocking her unconscious. She heard voices then and she blinked until she saw her friends. Ryou groaned as she was sat up. “Easy…Easy Ryou…” She heard Sans say. She blinked a bit as her head cleared. She looked across the room to find two bodies. Toriel was holding one and Asgore had his spear held to the other. After a moment, Toriel became clear, she was sobbing, holding her son who was cuddled against her chest. He was breathing.  
Ryou blinked, “Is…Is it over?”  
Sans nodded and smiled, “Yeah…you did it.”  
Ryou smiled a bit and got to her feet. She ached all over but she knew as long as everyone was alive, she would be fine.  
Asgore suddenly cried out and held his hand, blood trickled down his palm as Chara stood and was now rushing at Toriel and Asriel with his blade. Ryou had started running towards them when Nova rushed past her. She could see the sad smile on his face as he disappeared and reappeared to tackle Chara to the ground. When they landed the room went silent. Ryou held her hand to her mouth as Sans rushed past her to check on them. Sans took a step back then and held a hand to his mouth, his eyes went wide. Ryou could see it, little by little…


	33. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well guys, it has been a trip for me...it's not a perfect story  
> Hell, it was all over the place at times, lots of tears, lots of love, lots of mushy stuff and pain...but those are just the emotions we all feel.  
> Thank you guys! Enjoy the end <3

“NO!” Ryou shrieked at the top of her lungs. She rushed over to Nova’s side sobbing out loudly as she pulled him off Chara. Chara’s eyes were void of life…their knife had blood dripping off it.  
“Oh god not again…” She pleaded as she turned Nova in her lap. His eyes were closed and blood was covering the front of his jacket and shirt. She hiccupped a sob and held him to her.  
“Ryou…”  
She looked down at him, he was looking at her weakly, “I’m so sorry for everything.”  
She shook her head, “It’s not your fault, it’s…it’s not your fault.”  
“Ryou…would you…give me one last kiss?”  
Ryou looked away, obviously uncomfortable with the thought but turned hack to kiss him. Before she touched him she was pulled back by Sans, “Okay now you’ve gone too far, Nova.”  
Ryou felt angry now, “Sans how could you-“  
“He’s not dying Ryou, he’s not even hurt.”  
Ryou stopped and looked down at Nova who was smiling sheepishly at her, “H-Hey, I mean…I could’ve-“  
“YOU SON OF A BITCH!” She screamed and flung Nova off her with a huff.  
“Aww, Ryou…come on I was only joking!” Nova said getting up.  
Sans shook his head, “I’m kicking your ass for making her cry like that, you even had me convinced.”  
Nova stopped dead in his tracks, “Hey, I know how you feel, I know how she feels…but she’s strong, what just happened told me all I needed to know. She still loves me.”  
“Pssh, you wish.”  
“She said it herself.”  
“In your dreams.”  
Ryou rolled her eyes and looked to Asgore who held Chara in his arms. She walked up beside him and put a hand on his shoulder as her eyes trailed over the dead child resting against his fur, “I’m sorry Asgore.”  
“If we knew what Chara was planning, we would’ve stopped him.” He murmured as he ran a hand over the child’s face to close his eyes. Chara seemed…so innocent like this, like he was finally able to rest. Ryou took comfort in that thought.  
“Ryou?”  
Ryou looked up to see Asriel standing before her. He looked worriedly at her before rushing to her and wrapping his arms around her waist, “Thank you so much…thank you…I…I was so tired of being a flower.” He sobbed into her stomach. “Thank you for everything...you risked your life to save me, someone you could’ve cared less about.”  
Ryou knelt down and hugged him tightly, “I did it because you were trapped. I couldn’t let you live like that, live inside of someone hateful.”  
Asriel pulled back and wiped his eyes, “I really am a crybaby…huh?” He laughed softly. “But now I am free, alive, about to live again.” He smiled back at his mother who smiled back at him. His smile soon faded, “Flowey…”  
Ryou’s eyes widened, “What happened to him?”  
Asriel looked to his mother who held up the pot of soil with what looked like a wilted flower rooted inside. Ryou waked up to Toriel, “Is he..?”  
Toriel frowned, “I’m sorry to say I’m not very sure.”  
Asgore walked up beside them, leaving Chara’s body on the floor in a resting position. He looked at Flowey, his serious as he stroked his beard, “Ah, he just needs some water and sunlight.”  
Just then what sounded like a familiar sound echoed in her ear. She turned to find Gaster with her son standing behind everyone. Ryou felt an overwhelming happiness fill her, “Dad! Aiden!” She went into a full on sprint until she was five feet from him. Sans and Nova followed her, Sans took a step forward and took Aiden from Gaster with a smile.  
“Gaster…” He breathed and looked away to wipe his eyes. “Thank you for this.”  
Ryou hugged him tightly, “Dad…I thought you were going to wait until Aiden was older to come?”  
“Ryou, my child,” He murmured against her hair. “I am sorry, I didn’t have a choice when my grandson was stuck in the middle of a war?” He smiled happily. “You’ve done beautifully. And look at you, you look so much like your mother, I can see the real you for the first time.”  
Ryou blushed and looked at Sans who blushed and shrugged, “You honestly look more like her.” He chuckled.  
Nova nodded, “She looks a lot like Vivienne, though, I still find it funny she had white hair and her mother had black.”  
Ryou pouted, “I got it from my dad I guess, he is a monster after all…guess I’m lucky I was born with any at all.” She laughed.  
Gaster rolled his eyes and looked at Nova and smiled, “Sans…er-Nova, I honestly believe you did your part perfectly. A deal is a deal, is it not?”  
Nova’s eyes widened, “You mean-“  
Ryou looked between them, “What deal?”  
Gaster smiled and snapped his fingers. Everyone in the room but Sans, Nova, Ryou, Aiden, and Gaster froze still. Gaster reached his hand out behind himself and a large purple tear opened in the air. It opened and Ryou’s eyes widened as…she stepped out of the portal. She looked like hell.  
“Is that…another me?” Ryou asked quietly in shock.  
Gaster nodded, “Yes, but it is more complicated than that.”  
Sans stared at the woman, “She looks just like you did when I first met you, Ryou.”  
Ryou nodded slowly, “Same jacket, same…scarf…”  
The woman took two steps and collapsed onto the floor. Nova went running to her and helped her up. Ryou looked up at Gaster questioningly, “Why did you bring another me here?”  
Gaster looked at Nova who was looking the woman over with tears in his eyes, “Because in Nova’s timeline you were never supposed to leave. When you took yourself out of his timeline, you cause a ripple effect and…well, I had to fill in the blanks, that is my job after all. Since Nova’s timeline is no longer attached to this one, and has become its own dimension due to these events, it wasn’t hard to find a you that never went back. This one was alone in her timeline, everyone was dead. She had talked to me once before, asking me to help her…” Gaster blushed a bit and looked away from Nova.  
Ryou blushed heavily and looked away as well, “She seemed more than happy to see him…”  
Gaster cleared his throat and shrugged, “Since her timeline had ended abruptly, it wasn’t a big deal taking her out of it and putting her where you should be.”  
Ryou blushed, “I can’t help how I felt.”  
Gaster shook his head, “No, you belong here.” He smiled and winked at Sans who blushed and shuffled a little. “It’s just like I said Sans,” Gaster gave Sans a wide grin. “Once you’ve been with a human-“  
Sans glared and smiled nervously, “Yeah yeah, old man, let’s not say something we’d regret.”  
Gaster chuckled and held up his hands, “Alright alright, very well.”  
Sans looked at their friends and his smile faded, “It’s all over now, isn’t it? We’ve finished what we set out to do?”  
Gaster looked to Ryou and nodded to her, she nodded back, “Not yet Sans…there’s one more thing I have to do.”  
Gaster pulled Ryou in for another hug, “I’m afraid my time is up Ryou.”  
Ryou felt her heart sink, “Wait…please dad we’re so close-“  
Gaster hushed her and shook his head, “It’s alright Ryou…” He looked to Sans and then to Aiden. He smiled, “My grandson is very beautiful, and will grow into a very powerful monster. You both should be very proud of him.”  
Sans and Ryou looked at the tiny sleeping baby in Sans’s arms. They smiled happily at one another then looked back to Gaster, but he had disappeared. Ryou felt the lump in her throat again. She looked at Nova who now had the other version of herself on his back. She was smiling happily.  
“Who the heck is that?” Undyne asked as her and Alphys walked up beside Ryou.  
“W-Why are there t-two of you?” Alphys asked.  
Ryou held up a hand, “A very very long story.” She smiled at them and looked to the entrance to the barrier. Her face became serious and she looked to Sans who nodded to her. She began to walk, slowly, but her feet began to pick up pace until everyone was smiling and eager to get to the barrier, Ryou felt it in her heart. The love for her friends, the love for her family, the love for all monster kind…she knew it, it filled her with DETERMINATION.  
Everyone slowed down as they all got to the barrier. Ryou touched the seemingly endless hallway of white and black, soul power. She looked back at the smiling faces of all of her friends, everyone smiled back at her with hope in everyone’s eyes. Ryou smiled back, her heart swelling with love as she turned back to the barrier. She let her soul come out and float before her. The barrier was coated in a bright rosy pink as her soul shone through the barrier. She felt her will to save the Underground overpowering her doubts and her soul burned brighter and brighter, until the whole room was engulfed in light.  
There was a loud cracking sound. The room echoed loudly and the light faded. Ryou fell to her knees and stared at the exit to the underground.  
The barrier was broken.  
Everyone seemed to stare at the exit in almost disbelief. Sans walked up beside Ryou and helped her to her feet. He handed Aiden to her and put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. She smiled and looked deeply into his eyes, “Are you ready Sans?”  
He looked back at everyone who smiled happily. He looked to his brother who seemed a little nervous, “Paps, come on, come be the first one out!”  
Papyrus looked at Mettaton who smiled and took his hand. Papyrus smiled happily and they went bolting out of the cave. Sans looked back and motioned for everyone to follow. They began to walk out the exit, the smell of fresh pine filled the cave and Ryou smiled at the look of wonder on Sans’s face.  
“What…is that smell?”  
Ryou giggled, “Pine, it’s something you get used to.”  
Sans smiled wide, “Let’s catch up.” They both went bounding out of the cave. Sans stopped dead in his tracks, the entrance opened to a ledge that overlooked the whole valley and beyond. The sun was just beginning to set, the orange glow entranced him. He took a few steps towards Papyrus and took his brother’s hand. Soon after everyone else joined them, looking out at the setting sun.  
“It’s…so bright.” Undyne said in awe.  
“So this is the sun…” Mettaton said with a smile. “How wonderful.”  
Papyrus sniffled, “ITS EVERYTHING I HOPED IT WOULD BE.”  
Toriel held her son in her arms, “There it is…”  
Asgore soon joined them with a giggling Frisk on his shoulders, “Thank you both, Frisk and Ryou…without both of you, we would not have been able to achieve this goal.”  
Toriel wiped her eyes, “This truly is the happiest of endings…”  
Ryou looked down at Sans who’s eyes widened as the sun disappeared and the sky exploded in tiny stars. Everyone gazed up at the spectacle, Sans’s eyes overflowed and he let out a quiet sob and wiped his eyes.  
“SANS? ARE YOU CRYING?”  
Sans smiled, “Yeah…”  
“WHY?”  
“It’s everything I could’ve hoped for Papyrus, this is what we have been missing all these years.” He looked to Ryou and pulled her into an embrace. His soul began to shine through his clothes, a cyan blue much happier and brighter than ever. Sans kissed her, then looked into her eyes, “Thank you…thank you so much Ryou for everything you’ve done for me…for all of us…” He smiled happily and looked back at the sky. “This is everything I thought it would be…and more.”  
Ryou smiled and took his hand, “Forever and ever Sans.”  
Aiden opened his eyes a little and looked over Ryou’s shoulder with a small smile. Ryou and Sans looked behind them to see Nova smiling up at the sky. The woman on his back was asleep, Ryou smiled and pet her hair, “So what was your deal with my dad?”  
Nova’s smile faded and he looked to the ground, “We made a deal, I would protect you, keep you safe, in return he would bring you back to me.”  
Ryou made a face then sighed, “I guess I shouldn’t question the result of it. She is me after all…”  
Nova nodded and smiled, “We have to get back to our world soon…” He looked at Aiden and chuckled. “I’ll see ya around kid.” He planted a toothy kiss on the child’s forehead then took a step back. “Well Ryou…” He held out his hand. “I guess this is goodbye.”  
Ryou stared at his hand before looking up at him and pulling him in for a hug, “For now. If you really loved me Nova, you will take care of her.” Ryou pulled back and glared at him. “She can call me and complain anytime, I have no problem rolling up my sleeves and getting your ass in line.”  
Nova blushed and smiled nervously, “Yes ma’am.”  
Sans chuckled and stepped up to shake his hand, “Yeah, she won’t be the only one.”  
Nova glared, “Right back at you, shorty.”  
Sans glared back, “Then I guess we’re on the same page.”  
Nova grinned at him and Sans grinned back, an understanding passed between them that Ryou couldn’t understand, but accepted anyway. Nova shrugged, “I’ll keep in touch, but for now…I’ll catch you nerds later.” He chuckled and snapped his fingers. He and the woman were engulfed in a bright light, their small group turned to watch as Nova disappeared. Papyrus walked up to Sans and smiled.  
“SO, WHY WERE THERE TWO RYOU’S?”  
Sans chuckled and shrugged, “Couldn’t tell you buddy, but tibia-nest,” He winked at Ryou who giggled. “There’s only one out there for me.”  
Ryou took Sans’s hand in hers and smiled, “There are probably a skele-ton of you out there, but there’s only one you. Only one Papyrus, Toriel, Asgore…Undyne, Alphys, Mettaton, and there is only going to be one Aiden.”  
Sans smiled and shrugged, “I wouldn’t mind having another sometime.”  
Ryou blushed, “A-Another?”  
Undyne walked up and grinned, “Heck yeah! You guys could have a whole school full of kids for me to train!”  
“T-That many?!

Sans shrugged, “Come on Ryou, you wouldn’t love having a bunch of these little guys running around?”  
Aiden giggled a little, wiggling in his wrap, eyes glowing. Ryou stared down at him and her heart swelled, “Not that it doesn’t sound great but…whose going to change all their diapers? And feed them? And put them to sleep? Rock them when they cry?”  
Sans blushed, “Guess I didn’t think about that.”  
Ryou kissed Sans’s cheek, “But one more wouldn’t hurt.”  
Sans’s face lit up like the night sky, eyes sparkling and smile big and almost watery. Ryou giggled as he turned and pulled her face in to plant a kiss on her lips. Aiden yawned between them, Sans pulled back and placed a hand on her cheek and stroked his thumb up and down her cheek. Toriel walked up then and smiled down at Ryou, “Thank you so much Ryou for everything…you saved our people and our very lives.” She looked down to look at Frisk and Asriel who were holding hands and smiling up at their mother. Asriel held Flowey’s pot in his arms, he unhooked his hand from Frisk and walked up to Sans, “He’s will be good, he will feel again soon.”  
Sans took Flowey from Asriel and looked at the wilted flower, “Yeah?”  
Asriel nodded, “He’s free now, will you take care of him?”  
Papyrus smiled, “OF COURSE, YOUR MAJESTY! YOU I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL TAKE ON THIS RESONSIBILITY!”  
Mettaton walked over to hold his hand, “We will, Papy. I think it would be good for us.”  
Papyrus blushed, “N-NYEH HE HE…”  
Sans handed the pot to Papyrus who smiled happily, “HELLO AGAIN TINY FLOWER! I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY BOYFRIEND METTATON!”  
Flowey twitched and his color slowly began to return, “P…Papyrus…?”  
“INDEED!”  
Flowey blinked a few times and looked around, “Where am I..?”  
“Safe, it’s been a long day.” Ryou said with a smile.  
Flowey’s eyes widened, “W-What happened to Chara?!”  
Sans chuckled, “Easy there kid, it’s alright.”  
Flowey began to shake and he smiled, “I feel…I…feel…” He gasped. “I CAN FEEL!”  
Asriel smiled, “Yes, we both can.”  
Flowey stared at Asriel, “You’re alive.”  
Frisk came up and signed, “I knew you guys could do it, even if this time around I wasn’t able to do anything.”  
Ryou knelt down and pat her head, “It’s alright Frisk.”  
“Where…am I?” A tiny voice echoed behind them. “M…Mom..?” Ryou gasped in horror, Sans stepped in front of everyone, his eye glowing vigorously as another child emerged from the exit.  
“Mommy..? A-Asriel..?”  
“How is he still alive? I thought he was dead!” Undyne yelled in horror and pulled Alphys behind her as they shuffled with Asgore to their group.  
Ryou felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and someone whispered in her ear, “I have taken his memories and emotions of the past from him. He is no longer a threat, just a confused child looking for his family.” Gaster’s voice echoed in her ear.  
Ryou handed Aiden to Toriel and stepped in front of Sans. Everyone tensed as she walked towards Chara. Their eyes…were a soft blue, scared and confused as they watched Ryou walk up to them. She knelt down a few feet from him, “Hello, what’s your name?”  
Chara blinked a few times at her gentle voice, “I’m Chara…” They said shyly. “I can’t remember how I got here…where…where’s mom?”  
Ryou smiled, “It’s alright now, Chara, she’s here. Come here to me and I will take you to her.”  
“Ryou, what are you doing?” Sans asked sternly, he sounded horrified.  
She ignored him, “It’s alright Chara, I’m a friend of your mom’s, you don’t have to be afraid.”  
Chara took a few steps towards her before throwing themselves into her arms and sniffling against her sweater, “I’m scared…”  
“It’s alright sweetheart…it’s alright now.” She murmured. This was no longer the murderous child she had always known, this was a scared child with no memories of who they were, innocent. She pulled Chara into her arms and stood up. She turned to everyone and walked to Toriel, “He won’t hurt anyone anymore.”  
Toriel looked Ryou’s face over, “Are…you sure?”  
Ryou nodded, “Yes, his memories have been brought back to zero…he only remembers his family and his name.”  
Chara looked at his mother and smiled wide, “Mom!”  
Toriel smiled widely, “Hello Chara, where have you been?”  
He shrugged, “I don’t remember, I…remember playing with Asriel and having fun! Then…I woke up in the hall.”  
Toriel swallowed back her tears, Ryou placed the child on the floor and took Aiden back from her, “Go ahead Toriel, he is your son after all.”  
Toriel knelt down and held her arms open, Chara jumped into them and smiled happily in his mother’s arms. Toriel held her arms for Frisk and Asriel who rushed to her with smiling faces and giggles, “My children…I love you all so very much.”  
Asgore placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled at her gently, she leaned her cheek against his hand and smiled back at him. Ryou looked to Sans who seemed more than confused at the spectacle before him. Ryou walked to him and smiled, “He’s just a little boy now, he won’t hurt anybody anymore.”  
Sans gazed at her, “You really are amazing.”  
She blushed, “I take after three very amazing people.”  
“I love you Ryou.”  
She smiled happily, “I love you too Sans.”

Gaster remained unseen as he watched the events with a smile, he was happy to see everything unfold so perfectly, seems everyone got their happy ending. His smile faded a little, but he was still alone…wasn’t he? He looked up at the stars and smiled, tears began to overflow from his eyes and he sighed, that was just how it was. He knew that very line better than anyone, you can’t save everyone…but that was okay, because the result of his sacrifice lived on. He could almost see her, her smiling face standing beside his daughter. Her black hair curled, framing her pale face…  
Smiling…  
Back at him…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well guys, that is it! I may or may not make an epilogue for this story, let me know if you would like me to write a little something on the side, like Aiden when he's older, what happens during their time on the surface, etc.  
> If you have ANY questions about this story, please message send me a message on my tumblr!  
> http://fantasyspices.tumblr.com/  
> Thank you all so much for the support!  
> I will have more stories out soon!  
> (I have a little pet project with our pal Gaster!Sans) So stay tuned!


	34. Something for you wondering what happened and why it ended...weird lol

Hello to you all, I've been trying so hard to think of a way to get this story rolling again. Let me tell you, it's been a nightmare. So I decided "it's getting redone, it was too cringy and messy" so I've started rewriting this story in hopes you all enjoy it once more, and I will be making a sequel with Aiden growing up in Ryou and Sans's household. So stay tuned for updates!


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